UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

GIFT   OF* 

Mrs.  SARAH  P.  WALSWORTH. 

Received  October,  1894. 

,, 
Accessions  No.^J C  */•/•      Class  No. . 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


TO 


HEALTH  AID  HAPPINESS; 


OR 


£<mg  Ctfc  an*  Cittle 


BY  JOEL  H.  ROSS,  M.  D. 

AUTHOR  OF  "  WHAT  I  SAW IN  NEW-YORK."  "WRONG  SIDE  Of 

THE  LINE"  "  SPIRIT  WORLD."  fc.,  AND  PHYSICIAN  AND 

PROPRIETOR  OF  THE  OTOPHTHALMIC  INSTITUTE. 

B  UP  FA  L  0.  NE  W-  YORK. 


THIRD   EDITION. 


AUBURN,  N.  V. : 

DERBY   &   MILLER. 
1800. 


ENTERED  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1850,  by 
JOEL  H.  ROSS,  M.  D. 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New- York. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 

Encouraged  by  the  sale  of  the  first  and  se- 
cond thousand  copies  of  this  humble  volume, 
the  author  has  endeavored  to  somewhat  im- 
prove the  present  edition,  hoping  to  make  it 
still  more  acceptable  to  those  who  have  a  pro- 
per regard  for  health  and  life.  He  has  also 
made  som  3  additions  to  the  work,  which  more 
especially  concern  those  whose  eyes  are  dim, 
and  whose  ears  are  dull,  although  he  hopes  that 
he  and  others  will  benefit  this  unfortunate 
class  more  by  their  practice  than  by  his  pre- 
cepts* 

He,  moreover,  thankfully  acknowledges  his 
obligations  to  reviewers  for  the  terms  of  com- 
mendation with  which  they  have  been  pleased 
to  notice  the  work,  and  would  rejoice  not  a 
little  in  other  assurances  that  this  book  ol 
"  Hints?  has  not  been  issued  in  vain. 


PREFACE. 


THE  design  of  this  work  is  to  present,  in  a  familiar 
manner,  a  variety  of  such  practical  subjects  as 
are  inseparably  connected  with  the  physical  and 
mental  prosperity  of  community. 

Believing  that  cheerfulness  promotes  health,  the 
author  has  endeavored  to  amuse,  as  well  as  instruct. 
And  knowing  that  it  is  far  better  to  prevent  than  to 
cure  disease,  he  has  taken  the  old  adage,  "an 
ounce  of  prevention  is  better  than  a  pound  of  cure," 
for  his  motto,  hoping  to  stimulate  the  reader  to 
adopt  and  encourage  such  sanitary  measures  as 
shall  greatly  augment  the  health  and  happiness  of 
himself  and  others. 

Moreover,  he  has  been  encouraged  to  embody  in 
this  volume,  a  few  pages  which  he  recently  pub- 
lished in  pamphlet  form. 

As  domestic  happiness  is  a  very  agreeable,  and 
often  an  efficient  agent  in  preventing  various  forms 
of  disease,  and  a  remedy  to  which  very  few  will 
object,  the  writer  has  introduced  several  topics, 
which  at  first  view  may  appear  to  have  little  or 
no  bearing  upon  the  subject  of  health.  But  let  the 
precepts  embodied  in  the  work  be  practiced,  and  it 


PREFACE. 


is  believed  that  a  good  share  of  both  health  and 
happiness  will  be  secured. 

Among  other  things,  the  author  has  endeavored 
to  emphatically  impress  upon  the  mind  of  the  reader 
the  importance  of  healthful  food,  active  exercise, 
and  pure  air ;  as  these  are  nature's  great  specifics  ! 

It  is  believed  that  many  of  the  statistics  under  the 
heads  of  Longevity,  and  Prison  Mortality,  will  in- 
terest the  reader, 

In  giving  such  hints  as  all  should  heed,  care  has 
been  taken  to  use  such  terms  as  all  can  understand. 

Though  the  work  may  not  harmonize  with  every 
man's  taste,  habits,  wishes,  fancy,  faith,  and  works, 
yet  it  aims  to  follow  common  sense,  without  restraint 
or  mysticism — and  expose  error  without  reserve, 
give  warning  without  fear,  facts  without  fee,  and 
advice  without  physic. 


INDEX. 


Atmosphere,  Moisture  of   .            .            .  184 

"             Saturated            .             .  .185 

American  Mummy,             .             .             .  187 
Army  Statistics,            ....       209 

Annual  deaths  in  New-York,         .            .  221 
Advice,              .....       244 

Bread — history  of  .             .             .             .  ]  39 

"      how  to  make               .             .  .     .  141 

Buck  Wheat  Cakes,  how  to  make              .  143 

Bed  Rooms,  small         .                          .  .176 

Coffee,  effects  o**     .  45 

Condiments,     .             .             .             .  .53 

Criterion,                                            ,             .  28 

Conformation,  Artificial            .             .  .112 

Change,  too  fond  of             ...  130 

Confidence,  too  much  .            .             .  .130 

Constipation,           ....  257 

Choked  by  fancy,           .              .             .  .170 
Consumption  less  frequent,  &c.,               207,  208,  252 

Changes,      .....  240 
Common  Sense,             ....       245 

Catarrh— (Cold),     ....  250 

Cephalalgia — (Headache)        .            .  .       270 

Croup,         .....  277 

Conclusion,                                  .             ,  325 

Diet,            .                          ...  15 

"    Modified              .                        .  .17 


INDEX. 


Page. 

Diet,  Animal,          .... 

"     Vegetable,           .             .             .  .20 

Digestion,  experiments  on               •            .  25 

table  of      .             .             .  .26 

Diarrhoea,  .             .             .             .             .  134 

Decomposition,  effects  of         .             .  .164 

Dew-point,               .             .             .             .  185 

Diseases  preventable,  .            .            .  .197 

Disease,      .....  242 

Dysentery,        .             .             •             .  .       273 

Dyspepsia,               .            .            .            .  284 

"          Symptoms  of                     .  .       285 

Causes  of        ...  287 

"          Effects  of                           .  .       290 

"           Treatment  of  .             .             .  295 

Dyspeptic  rebuked,       ....       297 

Edibles,  expense  of  ,  .22 

Eating,  rules  for           .             .             .  .29 

Edibles,  poisoned    ....  34 

Eating-house,                 .             .             .  .42 

Experiment,  fatal   ....  54 

Exercise,           .            .            .            ,  .         55 

"         importance  of     .             .             .  55 

testimony  in  favor  of  .56 

"         mode  of  .             .             ,             .  60 

"         result  of                     .             .  .65 

beneficial  in  disease,       .             .  71 

Errors  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave,  .  .         86 

*'      in  school,     ....  93 

"      three-fold          .             .             .  .103 

u      compound  .  .104 

"      criminal             .  .120 


INDEX.  vii 


Page. 

Errors,  Surgical      .            .            •            .  121 

"      Medical             ...  124 

"      Patient's      .             .             .             .  125 

"      Climax  of         .            .             .  .131 

Evaporator,              .             .             .             .  189 

Erysipelas,        .....      268 

Food,  how  to  select             .             .             .  15 

"      variety  indispensable,     .             .  .19 

Foot-bath,                 ....  79 

Friction,  .....         84 

Frights,  consequence  of     .             .             .  95 

Fashion,  fruits  of                       .             .  .102 

Flatulence,               /            .             .             .  136 

Fevers,  North  and  South,         .             .  .219 

Fort  Howard,          .             .             .            .  214 

Grave,  short  road  to   .  .         44 

Gymnasium,  nature's           ...  64 

Gymnastic  exercises,  novel      .             .  .72 

Going  the  wrong  way,        ...  110 
Gout,     ......       255 

Guide  post,           .                 ...  324 

Health,               .             .             .             .  .11 

Hygiene,                                                         .^  14 

Hydropathy,      .             .             .             .  .73 

Hint  to  Mothers,     ....  86 

Hardening  the  constitution,     .             .  .99 

Heart-burn,              ....  135 

Hemorrhage,  how  to  arrest     .             •  .133 

Hints  to  the  Blind,.                           t             .  305 

"      to  the  Deaf,         .             .            .  .321 

Hypocrisy,               ....  238 

Heart,  disease  of          .            .            •  .      275 


viii  INDEX. 


Page. 

Indications,  follow                            •  •               47 

Infants  improperly  handled,     •             .  f       .         87 

"      exposure  of             ...  89 

Influence,  power  of     •             •             .  .111 

Ice-house,  minature             •             •  .             144 

Innovation,       .             •             •            •  .170 

Indisposition,                         •             .  •             246 

Justice  and  humanity,              .            •  .      232 

Jubilee,       .             .             .             .  .             291 

Kind  enough  to  kill,     ....       128 

Key  West,  .             .             .            *  .            213 

Location,  influence  of               •             •  .18 

Lacing,  tight,  effects  of        .             .  .             112 

Longevity,        .             .             .             .  .192 

Life,  value  of                       .             .  .             193 

Longevity  in  country  and  towns,          .  .     1 99 

Letter  writing  in  prison,     .            .  .            237 

Metalic  tractors,           .             .             .  .169 

Moisture,  mistaken  view  of           .  .174,183 

"         importance  of             .           .  .183 

Mortality  in  Switzerland,  .             .  .             194 

"         decrease  of  .             .             .  .195 

"         increase  of                       .  .             195 

"         in  New-York,  1849,              .  .199 

"         at  different  periods  of  life,  .             203 

"        of  different  countries,           .  .       205 

influenced  by  temperature,  .            206 

by  consumption,       .             .  .       207 

in  the  armies  of  different  nations,         220 

More  polite  than  kind,        .            .  .            238 

Measles,            .             .             .            .  .267 

Nuts  unhealthful,     .  41 


INDEX.  IX 


Page. 

Northern  .ventilators,  .  •  .  ,215 

Occupation,  influence  of    .  ,  •  18 

Oven,  how  to  make      .  .  •  .143 

Ophthalmia,  ....  302 

Pastry,  .....         40 

Potatoes,  experiments  on  »  •  21 

Poultices,  value  of  ,  .  .81 

Premature  walking,  ...  91 

Pride  and  poverty,        .  .  .  .117 

Poisons  and  their  antidotes,  .  .  154 

'*      Vegetable  worse  than  animal  .       167 

"       Mental       .  .  .  .  168 

Perkinism,         .  .  .  .  .168 

Prison  mortality,     ....  226 

"      discipline,          ....       228 
"      should  be  ventilated,  .  .  236 

Privilege  and  duty,       ....       243 
Question  settled,     .  .  .  218 

Recipes,  .....       133 

Rules  for  administering  remedies,  .  240 

Rush  of  blood  to  the  head,      .  .  .       254 

Rheumatism,  Inflammatory  .  .  280 

"  Chronic  ....       282 

Seasons,  influence  of          .  .  .  18 

Salt  lick,  scene  at  .  •  .77 

Spectacles,  use  of,  &c.        .  .  .  313 

Surgery,  novel  .  .  •  .172 

Stoves,  effects  of     .  .  .  .  183 

Standard  of  humidity,  .  .  .       186 

Sanitary  measures,  importance  of  .  223 

Small  pox,         .....       265 
Scabies— (Itch),  268 


INDEX. 


Page. 

Tobacco  injurious,       .             •             .  .35 

Teeth,  importance  of          ...  36 

Tea,  effects  of,  &c.,      .             •             •  .45 

"     elements  of    .             .             .             .  50 

"     varieties  of                        •            ,  .52 

Vomiting,  how  to  stop        .             *             .  134 

Ventilation,      .             .             .             *  .174 

prevents  colds,              ,             .  179 

"          experiments  on     .            .  .180 

"          rules  for           .            .            .  181 

Vaccination,   .             .             .             .  196, 266 

Widow  oppressed,                             ,            .  65 

Washing  liquor,  ....        148 

Warning  voice,       .            .            ,            ,  162 

Worms,            .            .            .            .  .261 


HEALTH. 


EVERY  man  desires  happiness  more  than  any  thing 
else  ;  nothing  does  he  so  much  expect,  and  if  it  is  not 
his  own  fault,  he  will  not  be  disappointed.  But  it 
must  be  evident  to  every  reflecting  mind,  that  much 
of  a  man's  mental  and  physical  enjoyment  largely 
depends  upon  the  state  of  his,  HEALTH. 

Let  this  be  wanting,  and  he  may  have  every  thing 
else  that  earth  can  give — he  may  be  "  clothed  in  pur- 
ple and  fine  linen,"  have  all  the  gold  and  silver  that 
heart  can  crave — he  may  have  men  to  serve  him, 
and  friends  to  praise  him,  and  kingdoms  to  honor  him, 
and  the  world  to  worship  him,  and  still  he  may  find 
life  a  burden,  and  end  his  unhappy  days  by  his  own 
suicidal  act ! 

This  is  a  subject  of  solemn  import,  and  whenever 
the  medical  man  attempts  to  give  to  the  public  a 
word  of  counsel,  he  feels  it  deeply.  He  knows  full 
well  that  a  world's  prosperity  is  involved  in  it.  More- 
over, he  is  aware  that  the  health  and  happiness  of 
his  fellow-men  too  often  fail  of  being  promoted  by 
his  instruction,  in  consequence  of  inattention  on  their 
part. 


12  HEALTH. 


When  he  presents  a  collection  of  practical  hints, 
and  lays  down  such  rules  as  he  deems  needful  to  en- 
able the  reader  to  escape  at  least  some  of  earth's  mor- 
bific influences,  it  too  often  happens  that  neither  are 
his  motives  appreciated  nor  his  precepts  practiced. 
Many  who  spare  no  pains  or  expense  to  gratify  the 
eye,  ear,  or  palate,  will  perhaps  think  less  of  his  vol- 
ume of  advice,  than  of  the  evening  song  of  the  Whip- 
powill. 

For  this  reason,  many  distinguished  men  in  the 
medical  profession,  refrain  from  giving  to  the  world 
their  experience,  advice,  and  reproof.  This,  however, 
should  not  discourage  them,  as  it  will  hardly  excuse 
them,  for  there  is  a  period  in  almost  every  man's  pro- 
bation, when  he  has  an  eye  to  see,  an  ear  to  hear, 
and  a  heart  to  crave. 

If  I  should  meet  the  reader  in  a  famishing  condi 
tion  in  a  howling  wilderness,  far  from  home,  and  far 
from  friends,  with  neither  path  to  follow,  nor  food  to 
eat,  and  should  fill  his  hands  with  bread,  and  his 
mouth  with  water,  and  say  to  him,  Follow  me,  and  I 
will  soon  direct  your  footsteps  to  the  way  which  you 
have  so  long  sought  in  vain ;  he  would  doubtless 
have  a  heart  to  respond,  and  a  will  to  perform.  Such 
offered  assistance,  very  few  would  fail  to  appreciate. 
But  it  is  possible  to  treat  with  utter  neglect  and  indif- 
ference, proffered  aid,  of  more  importance  still.  Let 
the  reader  remember,  that  to  be  guarded  against  errors, 
and  to  avoid  mistakes,  while  on  the  perilous  journey 


HEALTH.  13 


of  life,  is  far  better  than  to  receive  the  assistance  of 
any,  after  having  gone  astray. 

HEALTH  is  a  boon  of  such  infinite  value,  that  no 
pains  should  be  spared  in  preserving  it,  nor  time  lost 
in  improving  it,  when  impaired.  But  good  precepts 
and  good  practice  are  not  always  concomitants. 
Procrastination,  in  all  matters  of  moment,  is  usually 
condemned  in  theory,  but  too  often  approved  of  in 
practice. 

Disease  in  the  human  system  is  often  like  a  spark 
of  fire  in  a  mass  of  combustibles,  which  may  be  easily 
quenched,  even  by  a  child,  if  taken  in  time.  But, 
through  a  little  delay,  an  entire  city  may  be  reduced 
to  ashes  before  the  flames  can  possibly  be  arrested. 
So,  also,  a  little  neglect  to  preserve  one's  health,  may 
be  fraught  with  the  most  disastrous  consequences. 

Health  not  only  promotes  a  man's  physical  and 
mental  enjoyments,  but  materially  protects  him  and 
others  from  crime. 

'  A  man  in.  health  is  less  likely  than  a  diseased  man, 
to  lay  violent  hands  on  himself  or  his  neighbor,  and 
he  ought  to  remember  that  his  own  health  and  com- 
fort depend  immeasurably  more  upon  his  own  acts, 
than  upon  the  skill  and  prescriptions  of  doctors.  That 
he  can  treat  himself  far  better  in  health,  than  his 
physician  can  treat  him  in  disease.  In  other  words, 
"  an  ounce  of  prevention  is  better  than  a  pound  of 
cure." 

How  often  does  the  physician  hear  the  cry  when 
it  is  too  late,  "  Oh,  that  I  had  the  constitution  that  1 


14  DIET. 

once  had,  and  which  I  foolishly,  though  unconsciously 
destroyed  !  Oh,  that  I  could  recall  the  past !" 

It  is  not  very  common  for  a  man  in  health  to  send 
for  a  physician,  but  he  would  often  show  more  wis- 
dom in  taking  his  advice  without  physic,  than  in 
waiting  to  take  both.  Moreover,  he  would  find  it 
good  economy  for  himself,  if  not  for  the  doctor. 

Possibly  some  of  my  readers  may  feel  a  sufficient 
interest  in  this  important  subject  to  inquire,  what  can 
be  done  to  aid  nature  in  keeping  all  the  vital  organs 
of  a  wonderful  and  complicated  machine  in  a  state 
of  integrity.  To  such,  I  propose  to  submit  a  few  sim- 
ple, practical  hints,  and  shall  endeavor  to  make  my- 
self understood  by  all  who  have  eyes  to  see,  and  ears 
to  hear.  The  several  topics  herein  discussed,  in  which 
every  individual  is  more  or  less  interested,  are  pre- 
sented to  the  reader  without  any  special  painstaking 
in  classification.  In  giving  advice,  in  exposing  errors, 
and  in  urging  reform,  such  explanations  and  illustra- 
tions are  presented  as,  it  is  believed,  will  be  ap- 
proved. 

HYGIENE. 

In  speaking  of  hygienic  agents,  the  subjects  of  diet, 
exercise,  rest,  sleep,  clothing,  air,  climate,  bathing, 
affections  of  the  mind,  &c.,  naturally  claim  our  at- 
tention. In  the  present  volume,  however,  we  shall 
be  under  the  necessity  of  omitting  many  interesting 
subjects. 


DIET.  15 

FOOD. 

We  should  select  our  daily  food  with  as  much  care 
and  good  sense  as  a  wise  builder  would  select  ma- 
terials for  his  house,  upon  the  strength  and  quality  of 
which,  he  knows  will  depend  the  safety  of  his  house- 
hold. IFe  have  a  building  to  rear,  preserve  and  in- 
habit, of  vastly  more  importance  to  us  than  any 
which  are  constructed  of  wood,  stone,  and  mortar. 
A  living  building,  and  one  in  which  essential  errors 
are  not  easily  corrected.  It  would  be  well  for  all  to 
remember  this.  And  whether  we  or  others,  igno- 
rantly  or  knowingly,  Select  improper  materials,  the 
tenant  must  suffer.  He  will  bitterly  regret  the  mis- 
take, and  daily  mourn  over  his  uncomfortable  abode, 
whose  faults  only  increase  with  age,  and  whose  pre- 
mature decay  hastens  him  away  from  the  clayey 
tabernacle,  to  that  distant  land  from  whence  no  trav- 
eller returns. 

How  many  such  monumental  warnings  have  passed 
before  our  eyes,  whose  influence  upon  us  has  been 
as  ephemeral  as  the  morning  cloud  and  early  dew. 
This  I  admit  is  a  discouraging  circumstance  ;  never- 
theless, it  is  one  of  the  strongest  arguments  in  favor 
of  multiplying  other  warnings,  to  prevent  a  repeti- 
tion of  such  cases. 

Let  the  reader  remember  that,  in  this  matter,  every 
one,  to  a  very  great  extent,  builds  his  own  house.  If 
any  man  has  a  poor,  shattered,  rickety  abode,  it  is  very 
much  his  own  fault.  The  writer,  if  not  the  reader, 
can  plead  guilty  to  this  charge,  as  he  regrets  exceed 


16  DIET. 

ingiy  that  the  subject  did  not  make  the  same  impres- 
sion on  his  mind  thirty  years  ago  that  it  does  now. 
Hence  he  feels  the  more  constrained  to  warn  others, 
and  especially  parents,  lest  their  children  should  here- 
after be  compelled  to  take  up  the  same  lamentation, 

It  might  be  well  for  parents  to  count  the  cost  be- 
fore they  spend  too  much  on  a  rotten  foundation  in 
their  offspring  or  themselves,  by  trying  to  build  up  a 
constitution  with  such  imperfect  materials  as  candy, 
sweetmeats,  pastry,  nuts,  and  other  paltry  trash, 
which  only  pervert  the  appetite,  and  destroy  the  di- 
gestive organs  to  a  greater  or  less  extent. 

How  often  does  the  fond  mother  seal  the  fate  of 
her  children  in  this  very  way,  and  then  wonder  that 
they  have  such  imperfectly  formed  bodies,  such  mis- 
erable constitutions,  such  distorted  spines,  enlarged 
joints,  flabby  muscles,  tumid  abdomens,  dropsical 
heads,  and  feeble  health.  The  mystery  is  that  they 
survive  such  treatment  so  long,  and  so  well  as  they 
do.  But  they  often  find  an  early  tomb  as  the  grave- 
yard can  testify.  And  an  epitaph  written  upon  their 
tomb-stones,  Killed  by  eating  trash  with  the  consent  of 
parents,  would  be  more  appropriate  than  acceptable. 

In  selecting  our  food,  we  ought  to  remember,  that 
if  we  desire  to  have  sound  bones,  strong  muscles, 
pure  blood,  good  nerves,  perfect  health,  and  long  life, 
we  must  not  only  supply  nature  with  a  sufficient 
amount  of  materials  to  enable  her  to  turn  out  from 
her  great  work-shop,  a  good  specimen  of  her  skill, 
but  they  must  be  of  a  suitable  quality  and  quantity, 


DIET.  1*7 

wisely  prepared,  at  proper  times,  and  in  the  right 
place.  How  often  are  the  organs  of  assimilation  fa- 
tigued and  vexed,  so  to  speak,  in  trying  to  pick  out 
of  the  rubbish  which  is  thrust  into  the  stomach,  such 
articles  as  she  wants,  and  no  less  so  in  striving  to  get 
rid  of  that  for  which  she  has  no  use. 

Hence  I  am  led  to  make  a  few  suggestions  to  the 
reader,  which  must  not  only  be  very  brief,  but,  from 
the  nature  of  the  subject,  very  imperfect.  It  is 
hardly  possible  to  give  any  dietetic  rules  which  are 
safe  for  all,  or  even  for  any  to  follow  at  all  times, 
either  in  sickness  or  health. 

MODIFYING    INFLUENCES. 

The  quality  and  quantity  of  food  required  from 
time  to  time,  are  modified  by  a  variety  of  circum- 
stances. There  is  a  constant  change  going  on,  both 
in  ourselves  and  the  external  world.  In  our  own 
frail  bodies,  we  sometimes  perceive  little  variation 
in  a  day,  a  month,  or  a  year.  At  other  times,  the 
change  produced  in  one  short  hour  is  frightfully 
great! 

Our  food  is  not  the  same  in  Spring  as  in  Autumn, 
and  the  difference  is  still  greater  between  Summer 
and  Winter. 

The  atmosphere  around  us  is  still  more  unstable  ; 
as  its  thermometric  and  hygrometric  changes  are  in- 
cessant. 

The  particular  state  of  the  system  often  requires 
careful  attention  to  diet. 


18  DIET. 

The  seasons  also  modify  the  ^demand  for  food,  as 
more  is  needful  in  winter  than  in  summer  ;  and  more 
also  in  cold  climates  than  in  warm,  as  a  part  is  used  as 
fuel  to  keep  up  animal  heat.  Hence  those  who  are 
well  protected  in  cold  weather,  both  man  and  beast, 
require  less  nourishment  than  those  who  are  more 
exposed. 

Occupation  has  also  its  modifying  influence.  Those 
who  are  accustomed  to  laborious  exercise,  generally 
need  more  food,  and  of  a  richer  quality,  than  those 
•who  are  sedentary  in  their  habits. 

Age  has  no  less  claim  upon  our  attention,  as  child- 
hood and  youth  demand  more  aliment,  comparative- 
ly, than  old  age,  and  need  it  more  frequently.  Nature 
must  have  the  materials  or  the  building  cannot  go 
up. 

Location  has  also  a  voice  in  this  matter.     It  fre- 
.  quently  happens  that  a  man  who  can  eat  ham  and 
eggs  with  impunity  in  the  country,  can  hardly  tole- 
rate  a  Graham   cracker  after  a  few  weeks'  resi- 
dence in  the  city. 

The  manner  of  preparing  food  has  much  to  do  in 
making  it  fit  or  unfit  for  the  stomach.  A  hard  boiled 
egg  becomes  a  different  thing  from  one  slightly 
cooked ;  and  one  fried  in  fat  is  more  indigestible  than 
one  boiled  in  water.  All  fried  articles  are  generally 
unfit  for  invalids,  and  especially  dyspeptics.  Indeed 
almost  any  man  of  sedentary  habits  may  show  his 
wisdom  by  shunning  them. 

Some  articles  of  food  are  more  digestible  in  a  raw 


DIET.  19 

state,  than  when  cooked.  Eggs  and  oysters  may  be 
mentioned  as  examples.  And,  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  cabbage,  when  boiled  until  it  is  perfectly  tender, 
requires  more  than  twice  as  much  time  to  digest  it, 
as  it  does  when  it  is  eaten  raw,  with  a  little  vinegar. 

Articles  of  food,  whether  cooked  or  raw,  which  the 
stomach  will  digest  with  the  greatest  facility  to-day, 
may  remain  like  a  stone  in  that  organ,  perfectly  un- 
altered for  hours,  to-morrow.  And  the  amount  which 
is  absolutely  indispensable  at  one  time,  might  sud- 
denly prove  fatal  at  another. 

It  is  often  said,  that  every  man  can  best  judge  for 
himself,  how,  and  what  he  ought  to  eat.  Every  in- 
telligent man  can  do  so,  if  he  will  be  more  careful 
to  consult  his  feelings  an  hour  or  two  after  eating, 
than  his  palate  at  the  table. 

VARIETY    INDISPENSABLE. 

Nature  and  art  have  provided  a  very  great  variety 
of  food  for  man.  And  here,  in  our  own  American 
paradise,  garden  of  Eden,  and  land  of  Canaan,  we 
are  blest  with  a  bountiful  supply.  But  with  all  this 
profusion,  it  is  not  always  so  easy  a  matter  to  make 
a  wise  selection  for  ourselves,  as  one  at  first  might 
suppose.  If  the  constitutions  of  mankind  were  all 
alike,  and  remained  the  same ;  if  every  nutritious 
agent  always  remained  the  same,  so  that  none  of 
those  changes,  which  we  have  already  noticed,  oc- 
curred, we  should  find  it  comparatively  easy  to  give 
dietetic  rules,  and  to  follow  them.  But,  after  all,  the 


20  DIET. 

most  formidable  obstacle  in  the  way  of  our  coming 
to  a  proper  conclusion,  is,  the  PALATE. 

MEAT. 

ANIMAL  FOOD  under  certain  circumstances,  is  the 
only  proper  aliment.  No  matter  what  the  Graham- 
ites  say  to  the  contrary. 

At  other  times,  a  vegetable  diet  is  clearly  indica- 
ted. A  mixture,  however,  of  the  two,  with  various 
modifications,  according  to  age,  climate,  season,  &c., 
is  undoubtedly  the  best  adapted  to  the  great  majori- 
ty in  health. 

Lean  meat  is  generally  preferable  to  fat,  though 
there  are  some  exceptions.  And  fresh  meat  is  more 
digestible  than  salt  meat,  although  it  appears,  from 
some  late  experiments,  that  pork,  recently  salted,  di- 
gested sooner  than  that  which  was  perfectly  fresh. 

Of  the  different  kinds  of  meat,  there  are  none  bet- 
ter than  beef  and  mutton.  Fish,  poultry,  game,  &c., 
are  all  good  in  their  place,  but  there  is  no  one  place 
that  is  fit  for  them  all  at  the  same  time,  at  any  rate 
the  stomach  is  certainly  an  exception. 

VEGETABLES. 

Of  all  vegetables,  there  is  scarcely  another, 
which  is  both  useful  and  healthful  to  the  same 
extent,  as  the  Irish  Potato.  *  Of  course  I  do  not 
mean  potatoes  half  ripe,  half  rotten,  or  half  cooked. 

*  According  to  common  parlance,  bread  is  hardly  counted  among 
vegetables  at  the  table. 


DIET.  21 

I  speak  of  good,  ripe,  healthy,  mealy  potatoes,  well 
prepared  for  the  table. 

When  we  look  at  Ireland,  many  of  whose  inhabi- 
tants live  almost  exclusively  on  them,  (and  find  no 
cause  to  complain  when  well  suoplied,)  or  at  New 
England  and  other  parts  of  our  country  whose  in- 
habitants are  extravagantly  fond  of  them,  and  hard- 
ly live  a  day  without  them,  and  see  the  general  health 
and  strength  of  the  consumers,  we  are  driven  at  once 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  potato  is  almost  indis- 
pensable to  life. 

In  Pereira's  work  on  "  Food  and  Diet,"  there  is  an 
account  given  of  an  experiment  made  to  test  the 
nutritive  powers  of  the  potato,  and,  as  it  is  not  sup- 
posed by  many  to  be  very  nutritious,  the  account 
may  interest  the  reader. 

"  In  the  year  1840,  some  experiments  were  made  on 
the  effects  of  different  diets  on  the  prisoners  con- 
fined in  the  Glasgow  Bridewell  ;  and  the  following 
extract  from  the  report  of  the  Inspectors  of  the  Pris- 
ons, deserves  to  be  noticed  here  in  connection  with 
the  preceding  observations  on  the  nutritive  powers 
of  potatoes : 

**  Breakfast,  2  Ibs.  of  potatoes  boiled, 
Dinner       3     " 
Supper       1     " 

"  A  class  of  ten  young  men  and  boys,  was  put  on 
this  diet.  All  had  been  in  confinement  for  short  pe- 
riods only,  and  all  were  employed  at  light  work,  tea- 
zing  hair.  At  the  beginning  of  the  experiment,  eighf 


22  DIET. 

were  in  health,  and  two  in  indifferent  health ;  at  the 
end,  the  eight  continued  in  good  health,  and  the  two 
who  had  been  in  indifferent  health  had  improved. 
There  was  an  average  gain  in  weight  of  nearly  3j 
Ibs.  per  prisoner,  the  greatest  gain  being  8j  Ibs.  by  a 
young  man  whose  health  had  been  indifferent  at  the 
beginning  of  the  experiment.  Only  two  prisoners 
lost  at  all  in  weight,  and  the  quantity  in  each  case 
was  trifling.  The  prisoners  all  expressed  themselves 
quite  satisfied  with  this  diet,  and  regretted  the  change 
back  again  to  the  ordinary  diet." 

Yes,  Doctor,  and  we  doubt  not  that  many  out  of 
prison,  since  1840,  on  your  side  of  the  water,  would 
have  considered  it  a  special  favor  to  have  been  sub- 
jected to  a  similar  experiment,  and  probably  would 
have  gained  more  than  eight  Ibs.  if  the  time  of  feeding 
had  been  sufficiently  protracted. 

There  are  many  vegetables  in  common  use,  with 
which  every  one  is  familiar,  that  need  not  be  noticed  ; 
such  as  asparagus,  spinage,  celery,  lettuce,  turnips, 
cucumbers,  onions,  &c.,  which  are  all  good  in  their 
place,  though  less  nutritious  than  potatoes.  There 
are  other  vegetables  which  are  even  more  nu- 
tritious than  animal  food.  Peas  and  beans  may  be 
given  as  examples.  But  these  edibles  though  very 
rich,  are  not  easily  digested,  consequently  will  rarely 
agree  well  with  the  dyspeptic.  It  frequently  happens 
that,  in  selecting  edibles  it  is  necessary  to  economize, 
and  it  would  surely  be  poor  policy  for  a  man  with  a 
little  money  and  a  dozen  hungry  children,  to  feed 


DIET.  23 

them  on  asparagus  or  spinage,  and  I  may  perhaps 
add  even  potatoes,  at  the  prices  for  two  or  three  years 
past.  There  is  as  much  nourishment  in  one  pint  of 
dried  beans  or  peas,  as  there  is  in  half  a  peck  of 
potatoes,  or  two  pounds  of  ordinary  butcher's  meat, 
including  the  bones.  The  beans  will  cost  three  to 
four  cents.  The  potatoes  will  cost  on  an  average 
about  ten  to  twelve  cents,  and  the  meat  more  still. 
Hence  we  perceive  that  the  difference  in  favor  of  the 
beans,  is  more  than  three  to  one,  as  far  as  expense 
and  actual  nutrition  are  concerned.  But  it  should 
be  remembered  that  those  who  have  been  accustomed 
to  bulky  meals,  will  hardly  be  satisfied  with  a  suffi- 
cient amount  of  nutrition  in  such  a  condensed  form. 
And  what  is  still  more  important,  their  health  would 
not  be  equally  promoted. 

There  are  various  opinions  respecting  the  propri- 
ety of  eating  cucumbers.  They  are  doubtless  tardily 
digested,  and  are  often  unfit  for  young  children  and 
dyspeptics.  But  it  cannot  be  denied  that  many  use 
them  with  impunity,  and  many  more  would  proba- 
bly do  so,  if  the  article  could  always  be  obtained  in 
a  fresh  and  healthful  state.  And  this  may  be  said  of 
many  other  vegetables.  But  this  is  too  often  a  diffi- 
cult matter  in  the  city. 

Although  it  is  desirable  that  our  food  should  be 
easily  digested,  yet  let  it  be  remembered  that  it  does 
not  always  follow,  that  one  article  is  better  adapted 
to  the  system  than  another,  because  it  simply  has 
this  property.  Although  fresh  lean  meat  (roast 


24  DIET. 

beef)  digests  soon  enough,  as  a  general  rule,  namely, 
three  and  a  half  hours,  yet  rice,  pigs  feet,  and  tripe, 
digest  in  one  hour.  But  this  does  not  prove  that  pigs 
feet  and  the  other  edibles  are  better  adapted  to  the 
nourishment  of  the  system,  than  beef. 

Again,  it  is  not  only  important  that  our  food  should 
be  digestible,  but  also  that  it  should  contain  the  ele- 
ments essential  to  the  growth  and  nourishment  of  all 
the  tissues  of  the  body.  And  none  are  more  perfect- 
ly adapted  in  this  respect,  than  lean  meat,  fish,  bread, 
milk,  peas,  beans,  and  potatoes. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  hash  very  often  distresses 
the  dyspeptic  far  more  than  simple  beef,  hot  or  cold, 
and  yet  it  digests  half  an  hour  sooner  than  either 
roast-beef,  or  steak.  Although  soft  boiled  eggs  are 
generally  considered  very  digestible,  (though  they 
are  not  as  much  so  as  many  other  articles,)  yet  the 
author  is  usually  more  oppressed  from  the  use  of  this 
edible,  than  from  the  use  of  butchers  meat. 

It  may  gratify  the  reader  to  see  Dr.  Beaumont's 
Table  of  comparative  digestion,  which  is  the  result 
of  numerous  experiments  tried  upon  an  individual 
under  unparalleled  circumstances. 


DIET. 


Experiments  on  Digestion. 


The  person  alluded  to,  and  here  exhibited  in  the 
engraving,  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Pittsburgh 
by  a  cannon  ball,  which  carried  away  a  portion  of 
his  stomach  ;  yet,  strange  to  say,  he  recovered.  And, 
what  is  still  more  curious,  the  wound  healed,  leaving 
an  external  opening  sufficiently  large  to  enable  the 
doctor  to  toss  into  nature's  laboratory,  all  manner  of 
edibles,  from  time  to  time,  until  his  curiosity  was 
pretty  thoroughly  satisfied  in  watching  the  process 
and  progress  of  digestion. 

But  I  fear  the  reader  will  say,  "The  poor  man's 
stomach  was  minus  the  very  part  which  usually  pre- 


26 


DIET. 


sides  over  the  digestion  of  those  edibles,  of  which  I 
happen  to  be  very  fond,"  and  which  unfortunately 
appear  to  be  rather  tardily  converted  into  chyme. 


Aliments. 

Preparation. 

Time. 
U.  M. 

Boiled, 
do 
do 
Raw, 
Boiled, 
Fried, 
Boiled, 
Raw, 
Broiled, 
Boiled, 
do 
do 
do 
do 
Broiled, 
Raw, 
Boiled, 
Raw, 
do 
do 
Roasted, 
do 
Boiled, 
Boiled, 
Roasted, 
do 
do 
Broiled, 
Warmed, 
Boiled, 
Baked, 
Boiled, 
Baked, 
Roasted, 
Raw, 
Boiled, 
Fricaseed, 
Baked, 
Boiled, 

1. 
I. 
1. 
1.30 
1.30 
1.30 
1.30 
1.30 
1.35 
1.45 
1.45 
2. 
2. 
2. 
2! 
2. 
'}. 
2. 
2. 
2.15 
2.15 
2.18 
2.25 
2.30 
2.30 
2.30 
2.30 
2.30 
2.30 
2.3C 
2.30 
230 
230 
2.30 
2.30 
240 
2.45 

Barley,  

Milk,  

Eggs,  fresh,  

Milk,  

Turkey,  wild,  

Hash,  meat  and  vegetables,  

Beans,  pod,  

Potatoes  Irish,  

do         do  

Cabbage,  head,  

Chicken,  full  grown,  

Custard,...'.  

2.45 
245 

Beef,  with  salt  only,  

DIET. 


Aliments.                            I  Preparation. 

H.  M. 

Apples,  sour,  hard,  

Raw, 
Raw, 
Softboil'd 
Broiled, 
Roasted, 
Broiled, 
Raw, 
Broiled, 
Boiled, 
Boiled, 
do 
do 
do 
Baked, 
Roasted, 
Broiled, 
do 
Roasted, 
Baked, 
Boiled, 
Broiled, 
Fried, 
do 
Stewed, 
Roasted, 
Boiled, 
Melted, 
Raw, 
Boiled, 
do 
Baked, 
Boiled, 
do 
Hard  boil'd 
Fried, 
Boiled, 
do 
do 
Fried, 
Broiled, 
Boiled, 
Roasted, 
do 
Boiled, 
Fried, 

2.50 
2.55 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 
3. 

3.15 
3.15 
3.15 
3.15 
3.15 
3.15 
3.20 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
330 
3.30 
3.30 
3.30 
330 
3.45 
3.45 
4. 
4. 
4. 
4. 
4. 
4. 
4. 
4. 

Beef,  with  mustard,  &e.,  

E'^s,     do.., 

Beef,  

Veal,  fresh,  

Fowls,  domestic,  

do            do  

Ducks,       do  

Soup,  Beef,  

28 


DIET. 


Aliments. 


I  Time. 
Preparation.    H>M 


R    il     1 

4  15 

o.ietl, 

4  15 

Roilf-J 

4  15 

do 

1.15 

r\n 

1  30 

do 

1  30 

Veal,  fre«h  

Fried, 

1  30 

4  30 

Boiled 

4  30 

Pork,  fat  and  lean,  

Roasted, 

5.15 

Tendon,  

Boiled, 

5  30 

Suet,  beef,  fresh,  

do 

5.30 

CRITERION. 

Now,  although  the  above  table  presents  many 
interesting  facts,  yet  the  reader  will  perceive  that  it 
will  hardly  be  a  safe  rule  to  follow,  taking  for  a  cri- 
terion the  time  required  for  the  digestion  of  each  ar- 
ticle. For  example,  many  can  eat  a  piece  of  plain 
fowl,  with  impunity,  or  slight  inconvenience,  who 
cannot  tolerate  a  single  ounce  of  old  cheese,  though 
the  latter  digests  half  an  hour  sooner  than  the  former. 

The  fact  is,  more  mischief  may  be  done  in  the  use 
of  an  edible  attended  with  distress,  though  it  digest 
in  a  single  hour,  than  in  eating  others,  which  require 
four  times  that  period,  without  any  oppression. 
Every  man  knows  very  well  that  a  horse,  fed  on  cer- 
tain articles  of  food,  does  not  feel  so  well  as  when 
fed  upon  others,  and  cannot  endure  as  much  hard- 
ship. It  would  seem  that  men  ought  to  be  as  quick 
to  discern  their  own  sensations,  and  as  wise  to  select 
suitable  aliment  for  themselves,  as  for  their  horses 
and  dogs. 


DIET.  29 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  reader  will  feel  that  he 
has  something  more  to  do  in  selecting  food  from  day 
to  day,  as  varied  circumstances  demand,  than  sim- 
ply to  commit  to  memory  certain  rules  from  books, 
although  said  rules  are  never  so  good.  Nevertheless 
rules  may  lead  to  good  results — may  bring  us  to  pro- 
per conclusions.  And  as  it  is  of  no  small  importance 
that  \ve  not  only  select  proper  articles  of  food  and 
have  them  suitably  prepared  for  the  table,  but  equally 
important  that  said  food  be  received  into  the  stomach 
in  a  proper  manner,  I  therefore  submit  the  follow- 
ing rules  in  regard  to  eating. 

RULE  1 .  Eat  not  by  rule :  nor  make  your  neigh- 
bor's eating  your  own  criterion. 

It  is  perfect  folly  for  A  to  think  that  he  can  very 
properly  and  safely  eat  roast  goose,  because  B  does. 
SAMUEL  might  as  well  have  thought  that  he  could 
take  the  doors  of  the  gate  of  the  city  of  Gaza,  the 
posts,  bar,  and  all  upon  his  shoulders,  and  carry  them 
up  to  the  top  of  the  hill  that  is  before  Hebron,  be- 
cause Samson  did  so.  There  was  a  time  when  even 
Samson  could  not  do  it  again. 

So  in  the  experience  of  many  a  man,  there  is  a 
time  when  he  finds  that  he  has  outstripped  the  strong 
man  in  folly,  but  discovers  it  too  late  to  save  himself, 
if  not  from  the  wrath  of  the  Philistines,  from  the 
penalty  of  a  violated  law.  Therefore  eat  what,  and 
where,  and  ivhen,  your  own  experience  approves. 


30  DIET. 

2.  Eat  not  too  much. 

Every  body,  after  years'  practice,  ought  to  know 
when  to  stop  eating.  And  every  man  thinks  that  he 
does  know.  And  surely  it  is  not  an  easy  matter  to 
decide  for  him.  But  if  not  deficient  in  knowledge, 
some  are  evidently  wanting  in  practice.  There  is 
more  to  be  feared  from  a  surfeit  than  a  famine,  in  a 
land  whose  never  failing  streams  are  milk  and  ho- 
ney. 

The  stomach,  let  it  be  remembered,  largely  consists 
of  muscular  fibre,  which  possesses  the  property  of  elas- 
ticity and  contractility.  This  is  the  only  tissue  that 
can  give  motion  to  any  organ  in  the  body.  It  will 
also  be  remembered,  that  when  filled  with  its  accus- 
tomed stimulus,  the  stomach  does  not  lie  as  passive 
in  the  abdomen  as  a  pudding-bag  in  a  New-England 
dinner-pot.  But  commences  at  once  a  rolling,  churn- 
ing motion,  (although  involuntary  and  inappreciable 
to  the  senses,)  tumbling  the  food  from  side  to  side, 
and  mixing  it  up  with  the  gastric  juice,  until  its  con- 
tents are  discharged  into  the  duodenum. 

Now  it  may  be  seen  at  a  glance,  that,  whatever 
interferes  with  this  process,  must  retard  digestion. 
And  over-distention  does  this  very  thing.  By  stretch- 
ing this  fibrous  or  muscular  coat  of  the  stomach,  from 
day  to  day,  beyond  its  proper  boundary,  with  an  un- 
due amount  of  food,  its  resiliency  is  more  or  less  des- 
troyed, so  that  it  cannot  contract  upon  the  food  with 
sufficient  power  to  discharge  its  function  with  that 
vigor  which  is  necessary  to  healthful  digestion 
Consequently  the  food  undergoes  a  change  which  is 


DIET.  31 

prejudicial  to  health.  One  of  two  things  generally 
constitutes  the  cause  of  this  error — namely,  a  profu- 
sion of  dishes,  or  a  morbid  appetite.  I  pity  the  sto- 
mach that  has  to  rectify  both  evils  combined. 

3.  Eat  not  too  little. 

There  are  those  who  seem  to  fancy  that  almost 
any  disease  may  be  cured  by  starvation.  Whereas, 
almost  every  chronic  complaint  may  in  this  very  way 
be  aggravated.  It  not  unfrequently  happens  that 
such  cases  improve  rapidly  by  being  well  treated  by 
the  Butcher !  But  let  those  who  live  on  the  fat  of 
the  land,  beware  how  they  thus  add  fuel  to  the  flame 
in  any  acute  disease. 

4.  Eat  not  too  fast. 

Some  people  seem  to  take  their  food  as  though 
they  were  eating  for  a  whole  nation  in  a  state  of 
starvation,  and  thrust  down  every  mouthful  as  though 
they  expected  each  would  save  some  famishing  soul 
from  death.  Don't  hurry,  you  will  get  along  all  the 
better.  There  is  not  a  doubt  that  many  seriously 
injure  their  digestive  organs  by  eating  more  like  a 
starved  grey-hound,  or  a  famishing  savage,  than  ci- 
vilized men.  Again,  I  repeat  the  injunction,  Don't 
hurry,  nor  swallow  your  food  whole. 

5.  Eat  not  too  often. 

The  stomach  needs  rest,  as  well  as  the  hands  or 
the  head.     And,  beside  all  this,  after  a  meal  is  near- 
ly digested,  to  thrust  upon  the  digestive  organs  a 
mass  of  crude  materials  before  this  beautiful  pro 
2* 


32  DIET. 

cess  is  finished,  would  seem  to  be  as  great  an  insult 
as  to  dash  upon  the  canvass  a  bucket  of  paint,  when 
the  artist  has  only  to  make  a  few  touches  to  finish 
his  work.  Three  times  a  day,  at  proper  intervals,  is 
quite  often  enough  for  an  adult  in  health. 

6.  Hat  in  good  humor. 

Cheerfulness,  though  not  yet  added  to  the  list,  in  the 
text  books  on  anatomy,  may  nevertheless  be  called 
one  of  the  organs  of  digestion,  and  is  by  no  means 
an  unimportant  one. 

Therefore,  the  less  you  cry,  and  the  more  you 
laugh  (if  you  do  not  choke),  the  better.  A  man 
should  never,  just  before  dinner,  commence  any  im- 
portant business  which  will  be  likely  to  try  his  pa- 
tience, especially  if  it  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  can 
safely  be  deferred,  or,  if  thus  prosecuted,  will  be  likely 
to  involve  himself  and  another  hungry  man,  in  a  quar- 
rel. For  while  the  stomach  is  weary  of  waiting 
for  its  accustomed  stimulus,  the  slightest  insult 
may  prove  quite  indigestible,  and  render  his  dinner 
so  too ! 

But  let  the  stomach  be  well  supplied  first,  no  mat- 
ter to  whom  it  belongs,  and  the  man  will  become  as 
manageable  as  an  anaconda,  after  he  has  introduced 
a   young   buffalo    to  the  interior  of  his  snakeship, 
and  as  harmless  as  was  Samson  after  Delilah  had  sha- 
ven off  his  "  seven  locks."    On  the  other  hand,  let  the 
man  be  sorely  vexed,  or  grievously  injured,  just  before 
dinner,  and  he  will  be  in  a  fit  condition  to  turn  roast 
beef  into  fried-clams!     A  man  should  never  expose 
himself  to  contagion,  with  an  empty  stomach. 


DIET.  00 

7.  Eat  not  incompatibles. 

A  profusion  of  dishes,  leads  to  a  profusion  of  ills, 
encourages  a  profusion  of  doctors,  and  ends  in  a  pro- 
fusion of  remedies,  which  are  very  likely  unsuccess- 
ful. If  a  man  has  for  his  dinner  a  piece  of  good 
beef  or  mutton,  well  cooked,  he  had  better  wait  un- 
til the  next  day,  before  making  further  experiments 
in  analyzing  the  animal  kingdom,  unless  perchance 
a  little  milk  or  butter  be  needful  to  complete  the  first 
experiment.  Some  people  seem  to  ransack  the  hea- 
vens, the  earth,  and  the  seas,  to  prove  that  they  live 
to  eat.  Hence,  go  they  will  for  incompatibles,  if  they 
are  compelled  to  dispose  of  them  as  the  sickened  whale 
did  of  the  Prophet.  But  such  people  would  do  well  to 
remember,  that  fish  and  mutton,  and  pork  and  game, 
and  nuts  and  cheese,  and  wine  and  oil,  are  about  as 
unequally  yoked  together  in  the  stomach,  as  sheep 
and  shad  are  in  the  ocean. 

8.  Proscribe  not  variety. 

Some  people  are  so  fond  of  extremes,  that  they 
not  only  sweep  all  animal  food  overboard,  but  even  the 
man  who  eats  the  wheaten-loaf,  unmixed  with  straw, 
is  in  their  estimation  little  better  than  a  Cannibal. 
We  go  decidedly  for  a  wholesome  variety,  and  for 
that  very  reason  would  not  have  all  the  good  things 
at  once.  But  while  we  look  over  the  world's  great 
bill  of  fare,  and  rejoice  in  such  a  profusion  of  edi- 
bles, we  certainly  would  not  rob  the  poor  Grahamite 
of  "bran-bread." 


34  DIET. 

9.  Never  gratify  the  palate  at  the  expense  of  health. 

First  count  the  cost,  expecting  to  foot  the  bill. 
Better  "  eat  to  live,  than  live  to  eat."  Better  please 
the  stomach  than  the  palate.  Better  eat  for  profit 
than  for  pleasure. 

10.  Rest  after  dinner. 

Avoid  vigorous  exercise  immediately  after  a  full 
meal,  and,  rely  upon  it,  digestion  will  go  on  all  the 
better.  The  stomach  has  work  enough  to  do,  at  this 
important  moment,  to  require  the  strength  of  the 
system.  (See  art.  on  Exercise.) 

11.  Beware  of  Poisoned  Edibles. 

Never  eat  an  unhealthy  article  because  it  is  cheap. 
The  writer  once  knew  a  family  who  were  unfortu- 
nately poisoned,  and  several  of  them  fatally,  by  eat- 
ing (as  was  reported)  salted  geese  which  had  spoiled 
at  sea,  and  which  .the  owner,  who  was  the  captain 
of  a  vessel,  and  a  victim  of  the  poison,  did  not  like 
to  throw  away  after  his  return  home.  But  the 
reader  will  not  expect  to  need  any  caution  in  this,  or 
any  similar  case,  though  other  edibles  occasionally 
undergo  a  change  which  makes  them  peculiarly  ob- 
noxious to  health.  I  would  however  more  particular- 
ly notice  an  article  which  is  much  admired  by  epi- 
cures, though  some  pay  dearly  for  their  indulgence. 
I  allude  to  fungi  (mushrooms).  Various  directions 
are  given  by  writers  for  avoiding  the  poisonous  vari- 
eties of  this  edible.  But  no  better  rule  can  be  given 
than  one  which  has  already  been  given  by  Dr.  Lee, 
namely,  let  them  all  alone.  And  this  may  be  said  of 


DIET.  35 

every  other  article  which  is  brought  upon  the  table  to 
hurry  men  to  the  dust — Let  it  alone. 

12.  Masticate  and  insalivate. 

The  saliva  performs  a  very  important  part  in  di- 
gestion, and  there  are  those,  (not  a  few)  who  deprive 
the  stomach  of  this  essential  fluid  by  constant  and 
profuse  spitting,  which  is  induced  by  resorting  to  that 
pernicious  weed,  the  use  of  which,  as  a  luxury,  one 
would  almost  be  inclined  to  think  must  have  been 
first  suggested  by  the  enemy  of  our  race,  that  wicked 
spirit  who  began  early  in  the  world's  history  to 
tempt  mankind  astray,  commencing  with  the  appe- 
tite, and  meeting  with  great  success  up  to  the  pre- 
sent day. 

Now  for  a  man  to  sit  between  two  of  these  genuine 
manufacturers  of  the  precious  infusion  of  tobacco, 
who,  ever  and  anon,  make  a  spittoon  of  the  bottom 
of  the  stage,  and  a  street-sprinkler  of  their  mouths, 
is  a  "  trial  of  heart  and  nerve,"  to  say  nothing  about 
the  shining  gaiters,  and  fine  stockings,  and  white 
skirts,  and  silk  dresses,  and  the  best  wishes  of  the 
fair  sex. 

But  what  does  the  man  get  in  return  for  this  fool- 
ish, filthy  habit  ?  He  often  gets  the  constitution  of 
a  poor,  miserable,  nervous,  fidgety,  broken-down  dys- 
peptic. True,  he  does  not  get  it  in  a  day — may  not 
in  a  year ;  but,  sooner  or  later,  he  is  almost  certain 
to  suffer. 

But  you  may  say,  "  I  cannot  live  without  it." 

How  does  your  mother  live  without  it ;  and  when 
did  the  doctor  order  it  for  your  sister  ? 


36  DIET. 

Now  I  am  not  going  to  say  that  it  can  never  be 
used  to  advantage,  when  used  moderately.  Excep- 
tions of  course  to  general  rules.  But  I  do  say  that, 
ninety-nine  times  in  a  hundred,  its  use  is  prejudical  to 
health. 

In  relation  to  mastication,  it  should  not  be  forgot- 
ten that  the  process  of  digestion  commences  in  the 
mouth,  and  that  food  thoroughly  chewed  is  half  di- 
gested. To  do  this  properly,  two  things  seem  indis- 
pensable, namely,  time  and  teeth.  I  have  already 
spoken  of  the  folly  and  the  danger  of  eating  too  fast. 
This  error  is  no  trifling  one.  Many,  without  a  doubt, 
suffer  from  indigestion  half  their  days  from  this  cause. 
But  I  must  leave  the  reader  to  eat  fast,  or  slow,  little 
or  much,  often,  or  seldom,  as  time,  patience,  plenty, 
and  prudence  may  indicate,  while  I  give  him  a  hint 
in  relation  to  that  important  apparatus  which  con- 
tributes so  largely  to  health  and  comfort,  namely,  the 
teeth. 

In  order  to  obtain  good  bread,  among  other  things, 
it  is  not  only  necessary  that  the  grain  should  be  good 
to  start  with,  but  it  is  quite  important  that  it  should 
be  well  ground.  So  if  we  would  have  good  diges- 
tion, it  is  equally  important  that  our  food  should  be 
well  masticated,  and  to  do  this  effectually,  good  teeth 
seem  quite  indispensable.  Perhaps  it  will  not  be 
improper  for  me,  although  a  little  out  of  place,  to 
give  a  word  of  advice  in  relation  to  preserving  these 
useful  organs,  which  are  often  most  shamefully 
abused,  and  at  other  times  as  shamefully  neglected. 

The  first,  and  most  important  thing,  is,  to  keep  them 
clean.  But  to  do  this,  avoid  the  use  of  strong  acids, 


DIET. 


37 


and  other  corroding  agents.  A  thorough  brushing 
daily,  with  an  occasional  use  of  suitably  prepared 
charcoal,  (see  recipes,)  will  usually  suffice.  At  any 
rate,  keep  them  clear  of  all  foreign  substances,  such 
as  tartar,  slime,  pieces  of  meat,  &c.  It  is  generally 
thought  to  be  a  very  simple  manipulation  to  brush 
the  teeth,  and  this  is  so.  But,  simple  as  it  is,  I 
find  few  who  do  it  rightly.  The  brush  is  usually  pass- 
ed a  few  times  across  the  teeth,  or  even  many  times, 
in  some  cases,  the  mouth  is  rinsed  out,  and  the  work 
is  supposed  to  be  well  done.  This"  however,  is  a 
mistake.  It  should  be  done  both  ways.  That  is, 
pains  should  be  taken  to  brush  the  teeth  lengthwise, 
or  the  brush  does  not  pass  into  the  spaces  between. 
them  sufficiently  to  remove  all  foreign  substances 
which  may  be  lodged  therein.  In  brushing  the  low- 
er teeth,  brush  upward,  and  the  upper  teeth,  down- 
ward. 

The  next  important  item  to  bear  in  mind,  is,  the 
very  moment  decay  commences,  have  it  arrested  as 
soon  as  possible.  Go  immediately  to  your  dentist, 
and  the  matter  will  be  properly  attended  to.  But 
don't  wait  to  see  whether  the  tooth  is  going  to  ache. 
No  matter  if  it  never  aches.  And  if  it  is  painful, 
don't  think  to  make  short  work  of  it  by  going  to 
some  quack  tooth-puller,  or  apothecary's  apprentice, 
to  have  it  extracted.  Every  tooth  you  lo.se  "  drives 
a  nail  in  your  coffin."  Hence  you  had  better  keep 
your  teeth,  if  you  would  preserve  your  health.  We 
often  hear  it  said,  "  It  is  better  to  pay  the  butcher 
than  the  doctor,"  but  you  must  also  pay  the  dentist, 
or  the  doctor  may  pay  both,  and  the  tailor,  too,  out  of 


38  DIET. 

your  pockets,  and  then  perhaps  forgive  you  half  his 
due.  Every  cavity,  in  its  incipient  state,  and  in  a 
tooth  otherwise  sound  and  healthy,  properly  filled, 
will  amply  reward  and  sufficiently  remind  you,  that 
the  gold  is  well  deposited.  The  investment  will  be 
found  a  safe  one,  and  the  dividends  frequent.  But 
wait  until  the  cavity  becomes  large,  the  vitality  and 
the  beauty  of  the  tooth  nearly  destroyed,  and  it  will  be 
much  more  tedious  and  expensive  to  have  it  filled, 
and,  when  it  is  done,  it  will  not  be  strange  if  it  should 
be  found  little  better  than  stock  in  a  brokeii  bank. 
No  matter  how  small  the  cavity,  even  if  it  is  smaller 
than  a  pirfs-head.  That  is  the  very  time  to  stop  it 
successfully. 

Some  people  never  think  of  going  near  a  dentist, 
unless  their  teeth  ache,  or  they  can  detect  some  de- 
cay. But  this  again  is  all  wrong.  It  is  impossible 
for  any  man  to  make  a  thorough  examination  of  his 
own  teeth.  To  prove  this,  I  beg  leave  to  present  an 
example.  While  the  author  was  once  inspecting  the 
work  of  a  distinguished  dentist,  a  gentleman  pre- 
sented himself  to  have  his  teeth  examined,  supposing 
from  occasional  pain,  as  he  said,  that  some  tooth  must 
be  a  little  decayed,  though  he  could  not  detect  it. 
At  first  view,  it  was  thought  that  the  man  must  be 
mistaken.  But,  after  a  thorough  removal  of  the  tar- 
tar, and  a  careful  examination,  the  gentleman's  ap- 
prehension was  more  than  confirmed,  for  the  num- 
ber of  cavities  to  be  filled  was  eight ! 

Tt  will  be  remembered  that  pain  was  in  this  case 
the  cause  which  led  to  an  examination,  and  had  there 
been  no  uneasiness,  though  twice  as  many  cavities,  per- 


DIET.  39 

haps  the  man  would  have  supposed  that  all  was  safe. 
Hence  we  discover  the  importance  of  a  frequent  ex- 
amination by  a  practiced  eye.  We  are  very  willing 
to  admit  that  it  is  a  greater  luxury  to  have  some  de- 
licious edible  between  your  teeth,  (especially  if  you 
are  hungry,)  than  a  dentist's  fingers,  files,  and  forceps. 
But,  never  mind  that.  Your  appearance,  your  com- 
fort, your  health,  nay,  your  very  existence,  more  or 
less  demands  your  attention  to  this  subject. 

To  those  who  unfortunately  have  no  teeth  to  take 
care  of,  or  with  which  to  eat,  and  cannot  afford  to 
get  a  very  good  substitute,  I  would  say,  chew  your  food 
well  on  your  plate.  Indeed,  I  wTould  say  this  to  all. 
Keep  a  sharp  knife,  and  don't  be  afraid  to  use  it,  for 
this  is  the  best  thing  we  can  do  while  the  grinders 
are  absent. 

One  word  to  parents,  while  I  am  on  this  subject, 
will  suffice.  Look  well  to  the  condition  of  the  teeth 
of  your  children.  The  brief  hints  given  above  are 
generally  quite  as  applicable  to  children  as  to  adults, 
and  in  some  respects  more  so  ;  for  they  will  be  al- 
most certain  to  say  nothing  about  any  affected  teeth, 
so  long  as  they  do  not  ache.  But  I  wish  to  make  a  re- 
mark on  one  point  which  I  have  not  yet  noticed, 
namely,  that  a  wrong  direction  is  frequently  and 
needlessly  given  to  a  growing  tooth,  which  some- 
times disfigures  the  individual  for  life.  Whenever- 
you  discover  any  imperfection  in  this  respect,  you 
had  better  consult-your  dentist  at  once,  and  have  the 
evil  corrected  before  it  is  too  late. 

To  return  from  this  digression,  to  the  subject  of 
food,  I  would  remark  that  in  eating,  no  individual 


40  DIET. 

can  hardly  have  stronger  reasons  for  watchfulness 
and  self-denial,  than  the  dyspeptic  ;  and  few  perhaps 
feel  more  tempted  to  disregard  theories,  facts  and 
common  sense.  One  would  at  first  suppose  that  this 
class  of  sufferers  would  be  glad  to  walk  in  any  safe 
path,  to  shun  such  a  serious  affliction.  But  how 
many  thousands  are  now  suffering  from  many  real, 
and  not  a  few  imaginary  evils  whose  wretchedness 
is  mostly  owing  to  their  own  folly.  They  know  full 
well  their  misery ;  for  a  happy  dyspeptic  is  as  rare 
as  a  white  crow.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  with 
many,  every  thing  that  tastes  good,  must  go  down,  if 
it  is  followed  in  ten  minutes  by  a  perfect  abdominal 
tornado. 

With  an  impaired  state  of  the  digestive  organs, 
many  articles  of  food  become  manifestly  hurtful, 
which  otherwise  would  not  only  be  harmless,  but 
beneficial.  Many  of  these  articles  contain  saccha- 
rine matters,  which,  in  a  weak  and  deranged  state  of 
the  stomach,  are  very  apt  to  undergo  acetous  fermen- 
tation, setting  free  a  large  quantity  of  gas,  which 
distends  the  stomach  and  bowels,  and  thus  by  pres- 
sure disturbs  the  functions  of  the  heart,  liver,  lungs, 
and  other  organs,  producing  cough,  difficult  respira- 
tion, palpitation  of  the  heart,  severe  pain,  and  other 
alarming  symptoms,  which  often  awaken  sad  suspi- 
cions in  the  sufferer. 

PASTRY. 

But  there  are  certain  articles  of  food,  and  which 
are  very  generally  used,  which  no  man  in  reality 
ought  to  touch.  Among  these  ill-adapted  agents, 


DIET.  41 

and  in  wide-spread  evil  influences,  Pastry  stands 
pre-eminently  at  the  head  of  the  list,  though  it  ought 
to  be  as  much  shunned  by  all,  as  swine's  flesh  is  by 
the  Jew. 

To  see  one  of  nature's  fairest  emblems  of  purity, 
as  it  comes  from  the  miller's  snow-white  bolt,  thus 
tortured  into  an  instrument  of  self-destruction,  is 
enough  to  put  a  thinking  man  into  a  pathological 
state.  And  what  makes  the  matter  still  worse,  this 
mischief-making  trash  is  generally  taken  after  too 
much  is  eaten  already. 

Mothers,  if  you  wish  to  bury  your  children,  feed 
them  on  pastry  ;  if  you  would  have  them  live  long 
enough  to  bury  you,  feed  them  on  stale  bread,  plain 
meat  and  wholesome  vegetables. 


NUTS. 


Again,  the  whole  tribe  of  nuts  is  altogether  un- 
wholesome trash,  being  nearly  saturated  with  fixed 
oil.  And  although  a  man  may  eat  them  for  a  while, 
and  dream  of  impunity,  and  laugh  at  advice ;  yet, 
sooner  or  later,  indigestion  of  a  more  or  less  aggra- 
vated character,  will  be  almost  certain  to  follow. 

Yes,  let  a  man,  with  what  is  generally  called  a 
weak  stomach,  persevere  in  eating  these  indigestible 
things,  which  ought  to  be  marked  poison,  and  he  may 
have  the  best  physician  that  ever  lived  since  the 
time  of  Hippocrates,  and  access  to  all  the  remedial 
agents  that  have  ever  been  discovered  since  the  days 
of&sculapius,  and  he  will  probably  live  in  misery 
and  die  in  haste  ! 


42  DIET. 

INFLUENCE    OP   THE   MODERN    EATING-HOUSE. 

Many  young  men,  (and  I  cannot  even  acquit  the 
fair  sex,)  ruin  their  health  before  their  physical  frame 
is  fairly  developed,  by  improper  eating.  This  pain- 
ful truth  is  more  strikingly  witnessed  in  large  cities 
and  towns,  than  in  rural  districts.  Few  suspect  the 
large  number  of  shattered  constitutions  which  owe 
their  ruin  to  the  modern  "  Eating-House."  Said  a 
young  lawyer  to  me  the  other  day,  "  I  nearly  destroy- 
ed my  health  at  the  eating-house,  before  I  suspected 
the  danger." 

I  am  aware  that  such  establishments  are  convenient 
for  many,  and  it  is  by  no  means  altogether  the  fault 
of  the  proprietors,  that  they  are  not  fountains  of 
health.  Hence  I  do  not  condemn  the  vender,  but 
I  warn  the  unwary  eater  ! 

Young  men  flock  to  these  places,  daily,  to  eat  a 
meal  in  haste,  and  so  thrust  down  their  food  without 
mastication,  that  an  inexperienced  spectator  would 
be  very  likely  to  say,  Poor  fellows  !  how  their  moth- 
ers do  starve  them  at  home  !  And  he  would  hardly 
dare  to  take  a  vacant  seat  at  the  table,  lest  some 
mortal  more  hungry  than  himself,  might  stand  in 
perishing  need  of  his  place. 

But,  not  only  do  they  so  hastily  dispatch  plate 
after  plate,  that  the  waiter  from  morning  till  night, 
hears  the  cry  of  "hurry  up  the  cakes"  but  they 
are  also  tempted  to  eat  such  things  as  no  judi- 
cious mother  would  think  of  furnishing  for  a  dai- 
ly meal.  As  they  take  a  seat  at  the  table,  the  eye 
glances  over  the  bill  of  fare,  the  palate  makes  the 
selection,  and  that  unruly  member,  which  no  man  can 


DIET.  43 

tame,  keeps  the  waiter  on  the  trot,  and  down  goes 
the  pies,  cakes,  tarts,  jellies,  puddings,  custards,  dump- 
lings, and  a  host  of  other  indigestible  trash,  quite 
sufficient  to  lay  the  foundation  for  future  wretched- 
ness. 

Moreover,  with  many,  imprudent  eating  does  not 
stop  here.  They  not  only  make  rapid  strides  to  their 
own  graves  by  day,  by  eating  improper  things,  but 
they  cap  the  climax  at  night,  by  eating  at  improper 
hours,  and  by  going  to  bed  about  the  time  when  they 
ought  to  be  ready  to  rise.  Frequently  such  an 
one  does  not  make  his  appearance  at  the  breakfast- 
table  till  nearly  noon,  unless  driven  up  by  his  en- 
gagements, and  of  course  has  a  poor  appetite  at  that.- 
He  sometimes  tries  to  get  down  a  cup  of  coffee,  be- 
fore he  leaves  his  room,  while  the  patient  waiter, 
skillful  cook,  and  indulgent  mother,  all  lend  a  hand 
to  shorten  his  passage  to  the  tomb. 

Now,  to  expect  present  health,  and  a  happy  old 
age,  as  the  result  of  such  folly,  would  be  about  as 
reasonable  as  to  expect  life  from  the  dead.  And, 
although  such  semi-suicides  will  not  admit,  or  do  not 
suspect  their  danger,  yet  those  who  thus  show  their 
folly,  had  better  pay  their  bills  and  make  their  wills, 
for  they  will  soon  need  a  sexton,  more  than  a  doctor. 


IT 


DIET.  45 

TEA  AND    COFFEE. 

Although  there  is  no  middle  ground  between  vice 
and  virtue  (unless  the  dumb  beast  can  claim  it),  yet 
there  seems  to  be  a  central  path,  as  to  most  of  our 
earthly  transactions,  which  holds  out  greater  induce- 
ments,— encourages  those  who  walk  therein  to  hope 
for  more  success  and  safety,  than  those  who  take  the 
extremes,  either  on  the  right  hand,  or  on  the  left, 
have  any  reason  to  expect. 

Volumes  have  been  written  for  and  against  the 
use  of  tea  and  coffee.  Ultraists  have  ransacked  the 
world  for  facts,  to  prove  that  tea  is  as  poisonous  as 
arsenic !  Others  fill  up  the  old  family  tea-pot  to  the 
very  brim,  with  an  infusion  "  strong  enough  to  bear 
up  an  iron  wedge,"  and  drain  it  to  the  very  dregs, 
to  show  conclusively  that  not  a  single  day's  enjoy- 
ment is  possible  without  it. 

As  to  friends  and  foes,  coffee  probably  shares  about 
the  same  fate. 

JUDGE    BY    THE    EFFECTS. 

Both  tea  and  coffee  of  moderate  strength,  and  in 
moderate  quantity,  may  doubtless  be  taken  with  food 
by  the  majority  in  health  without  injury,  and  in  ma- 
ny cases  with  decided  benefit.  They  are  both  nu- 
tritious and  stimulating  cordials.  Every  one  knows 
that  a  cup  of  weak  tea,  in  sickness,  is  frequently  al- 
most the  only  thing  the  stomach  will  tolerate. 

But  the  difficulty  is.  to  convince  people  that  they 
take  their  tea  and  coffee  too  strong.  Or,  perhaps  in 
some  cases,  that  they  should  take  none  at  all.  There 
is  no  good  reason  why  any  man  or  woman  should 


46 


DIET. 


drink  strong  coffee  or  tea.  The  man  who  uniformly 
drinks  the  strength  of  a  tablespoonful  of  ground 
coffee  in  each  cup,  is  no  better  satisfied,  than  the 
man  who  uniformly  takes  a  teaspoonful.  Some  will 
find  that  they  enjoy  better  health,  when  they  drink 
only  tea,  and  others,  when  they  drink  only  coffee;  and 
some  when  they  take  neither.  But  either  of  these 
articles  as  a  beverge,  is  preferable  to  chocolate,  for 
health,  especially  for  dyspeptics. 

Many  persons  are  in  the  habit  of  asking  questions 
as  to  what  is  healthful,  and  what  is  hurtful  to  eat 
drink,  &c.,  when  information  for  the  sake  of  re/br- 
mation,  is  the  very  last  thing  desired.  It  is  of  very 
little  use  to  talk  to  such  people.  They  would  be 
very  glad  to  have  the  doctor's  opinion,  provided  it 
should  harmonize  with  their  pre-conceived  notions, 
and  confirmed  habits.  But  it  is  very  easy  to  see  that 
any  advice  that  he  may  give,  will  be  of  little  ser- 
vice to  this  class,  view  it  as  you  will.  If  they  are 
already  in  a  safe  path,  they  do  not  need  his  advice. 
If  they  are  not,  his  opinion  would  not  have  the  weight 
of  a  feather.  Moreover,  if  he  is  foolish  enough  to 
endorse  their  excess,  then  they  go  stumbling  over  a 
time-serving  doctor,  all  their  days ;  for  an  ounce  of 
advice  on  the  side  of  appetite,  will  weigh  down  a 
pound  of  counsel  in  the  scale  of  reason  and  truth. 

But  there  are  those  who  sigh  for  facts ;  and  toil  for 
knowledge.  Who  love  to  hear  little  every  day  things 
(every  body's  things)  discussed.  They  content  them- 
selves to  pattern  after  the  bee,  and  take  the  honey 
wherever  and  whenever  they  can  find  it.  For  this 
class  I  intend  my  remarks,  though  I  do  not  pro- 
mise them  much  honey. 


DIET.  47 

FOLLOW    INDICATIONS. 

The  old  proverb,  "  what  is  one  man's  meat  is  ano- 
ther man's  poison,"  is  quite  too  true  to  be  forgotten. 
Hence  the  importance  of  observation. 

Therefore,  no  better  dietetic  rule  can  be  given  in 
relation  to  the  use  of  any  nutritious  agent,  than  to 
follow  indications. 

But  what  are  the  indications?  says  the  reader. 
That  is  just,  what  I  want  you  to  tell  me. 

Yes,  but  it  is  just  what  I  cannot  tell  you,  without 
special  information.  What  do  I  know  about  your  in- 
dividual condition,  your  constitution,  your  occupation, 
peculiar  habits,  exposures,  idiosyncrasies,  &c.  There 
may  be  circumstances  which  render  it  important  for 
an  individual  to  be  confined  to  the  use  of  an  article 
at  one  time,  which  would  be  manifestly  unsuitable  at 
another.  Now  if  it  is  so  difficult  to  point  out  a  path 
which  is  safe  for  a  single  individual  to  follow  under 
all  circumstances,  it  is  very  obvious  that  rules  which 
are  given  for  all,  must  be  very  imperfect. 

Should  any  suspect  that  either  tea,  coffee  or  any 
other  article  is  prejudicial  to  their  health,  and  yet 
fancy  that  they  can  hardly  decide  which  is  doing  the 
mischief;  let  me  advise  such,  to  make  the  trial  of 
first  giving  up  the  article  which  they  love  most. 

It  behooves  each  one  to  examine  closely  what  seems 
to  be  the  best  adapted  to  his  constitution  and  condi- 
tion, as  to  the  use  of  every  thing.  And  surely  no 
man  ought  to  expect  such  rules  to  be  given  as  will 
supersede  the  necessity  of  a  little  painstaking  in  this 
respect. 

Have  you  been  in  the  habit  of  drinking  coffee  for 
8 


48  DIET. 

a  long  time,  with  uninterrupted  good  health  ?  Then  it 
is  pretty  clear  that  there  are  no  indications  for  chang- 
ing your  habits  in  this  respect;  and  especially  if 
you  have  taken  it  moderately.  Of  course  the  same 
remarks  will  apply  to  tea.  But  if  there  has  been  any 
excess  in  the  use  of  these  articles,  I  would  recom- 
mend an  immediate  reform.  For  although  you  may 
not  at  present  discover  any  alarming  symptoms,  yet 
you  may  be  gradually  undermining  the  constitution 
while  you  little  suspect  it ;  and  if  you  wait  to  be 
thoroughly  convinced,  the  evidence  may  become 
overwhelming. 

Excess  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  in  almost  any 
thing  else,  is  not  always  followed  immediately,  by 
serious  consequences.  Nature  will  long  apologize 
for  our  follies,  by  striving  to  adapt  the  constitution  to 
our  habits,  whereas,  we  ought  to  adapt  our  habits  to 
the  constitution.  But  her  patience  will  not  last  for- 
ever, and  you  may  rue  the  day  that  you  meet  her 
frown. 

Suppose  you  see  a  man  toiling  hard  to  gain  some 
object,  you  know  not  what,  whose  countenance  and 
every  act,  betray  great  anxiety  of  mind.  You  say, 
"  Friend,  what  are  you  doing  ?" 

"  What  am  I  doing  ?  Why,  to  be  sure,  I  am  trying 
to  gain  the  good  will  of  nature,"  says  the  man. 

"  What !  you  have  the  good  will  of  nature  already, 
unless  you  have  long  and  grievously  offended." 

"  Alas !  I  have  done  that  very  thing." 

"  Ah  !  then,  rest  assured,  thine  is  not  an  easy  task. 
Thou  wilt  find  it  necessary  to  toil  long,  hard,  and  in- 
cessantly to  regain  her  favor.  Thou  wilt  have  to 


DIET.  49 

make  double  restitution,  and  treble,  too,  if  she  re- 
quires it." 

"  What  then  must  I  do  ?" 

"  Why,  you  must  undo  as  fast  as  you  can,  much 
that  you  have  done  amiss.  You  must  get  into  the. 
path  of  prudence,  as  soon  as  possible.  But  you  will 
find  it  much  easier  to  commit  errors,  than  to  correct 
them." 

DECIDE    WISELY. 

Suppose  that  you  have  indulged  in  the  use  of  cof- 
fee for  years,  though  temperately,  as  you  suppose,  and 
your  health  has  been  gradually  failing,  without  any 
very  apparent  cause,  it  will  be  easy  to  perceive  that 
indications  suggest  a  change  in  some  one  or  more 
of  your  habits.  Something  must  be  wrong.  Coffee 
may  be  to  blame,  perhaps  tea,  and  possibly  neither 
of  these  articles  have  any  thing  to  do  with  the  diffi- 
culty. Perhaps  some  other  little  indulgence  which 
you  do  not  suspect,  or  one  which  you  are  unwilling 
to  abandon,  is  secretly  shortening  your  days. 

But,  suppose  you  conclude  that  coffee  may  possibly 
have  much  to  do  in  bringing  the  evil  upon  you,  can  you 
not  decide  the  question  without  sending  for  a  medical 
prophet  ?  Resolve  not  to  taste  or  smell  a  homeopa- 
thic dose  of  it  for  six  months,  and  substitute  for  it, 
the  coffee  of  olden  time,  namely  "  crust-coffee"  It 
makes  no  man  nervous.  It  is  no  mean  drink.  Peo- 
ple used  to  like  it,  when  their  palates  were  as  honest 
as  they  are  now. 

If  you  have  been  in  the  habit  of  drinking  the  for- 
mer beverage  very  strong,  why,  then  burn  the  crust 


50  DIET. 

all  the  blacker.  And  if  this  is  not  bitter  enough,  put 
in  one  or  two  grains  of  aloes  to  each  cup,  which  will 
form  an  excellent  substitute  for  "  dinner  pills,"  which 
are  very  likely  needed. 

If,  after  trying  this  experiment,  you  do  not  find 
your  health  sufficiently  improved  to  convict  and  con- 
demn coffee  as  the  guilty  one,  be  not  in  haste  to  con- 
clude that  it  must  be  innocent.  It  may  not  be  the 
sole  agent :  very  likely  it  is  combined  with  other 
causes  which  are  gradually  working  out  an  unhappy 
change  in  the  system. 

Many,  without  a  doubt,  are  injured  by  the  habitual 
use  of  strong  tea,  in  a  way  which  is  not  alluded  to 
by  popular  writers.  At  least  I  have  seen  no  such 
notice.  I  have  reference  to  its  constipating  influence. 
Neither  Pereira,  in  his  "  Materia  Medica,"  and  his 
treatise  on  "  Food  and  Diet,"  nor  Wood  and  Bache, 
in  their  "  United  States  Dispensatory,"  nor  Dunglison, 
in  his  "  Human  Health,"  all  valuable  productions, 
give  a  word  of  caution  while  discoursing  upon  the 
article,  in  relation  to  this  tendency — at  least  none 
that  I  have  discovered;  although  some  of  these  gen- 
tlemen speak  of  an  objection  to  coffee  because  it 
makes  some  people  costive.  Now  it  may  be  proper 
to  briefly  examine  this  subject,  and  see  how  far  facts 
warrant  such  a  conclusion  in  regard  to  coffee,  and 
how  far  silence  in  relation  to  the  constipating  influ- 
ence of  tea,  is  justifiable. 

ELEMENTS    OP    TEA    AND    COFFEE. 

In  speaking  of  the  essential  elements  of  these  agents, 


DIET.  51 

I  shall  notice  only  those  with  which  our  subject  is 
immediately  connected. 

TEA,  of  every  variety,  contains  a  large  amount  of 
tannin,  and  green  tea  about  one  sixth  part.  This, 
it  is  well  known,  is  a  powerful  astringent,  and  the 
very  article  to  check  excessive  evacuations,  such  as 
diarrhoea,  &c.  And  how  does  it  produce  such  a  result? 
Of  course,  it  is  by  locking  up  the  secretions.  And 
if  so  potent  in  disease,  will  it  not  shut  up  the  fluids 
in  health  ?  It  does  this  very  thing,  and  here  lies  one 
of  the  great  evils  of  using  strong  tea,  and,  in  my 
opinion,  the  worst  of  all. 

COFFEE,  on  the  contrary,  does  not  contain  a  particle 
of  tannin.  Now  I  do  not  say  that  tannin  is  indis- 
pensable to  constipation,  neither  do  I  say  that  this 
affection  never  follows  the  excessive,  or  even 
moderate,  use  of  coffee.  This  would  be  to  deny 
facts.  But  I  am  not  sure,  after  all,  that  people 
would  not  be  costive,  if  they  abandoned  their  coffee 
altogether,  and  did  not  reform  in  any  other  particu- 
lar. Moreover,  it  is  well  known  that,  with  many, 
coffee  is  actually  a  laxative.  But  I  have  never  heard 
of  an  instance  where  tea  had  this  effect. 

Again,  many  contend  that  coffee  makes  people 
more  nervous  than  tea.  With  some  this  may  be  so. 
But  it  is  now  well  understood  that  theine,  the  essen- 
tial principle  of  tea,  and  caffeine,  the  essential 
principle  of  coffee,  are  perfectly  indentical,  (a  curious 
fact,)  being  composed  of  C8  H5  N2  O2 . 

Now  one  would  be  inclined  to  expect  a  similar 
effect  from  the  use  of  articles  whose  essential  prin- 
ciples are  so  identical.  But  they  possess  other  prin- 


52  DIET. 

ciples  entirely  different,  and,  In  a  majority  of  cases, 
it  will  probably  be  found  that  the  article  which  most 
disturbs  the  functions  of  the  stomach  and  bowels, 
will  most  effect  the  nervous  system. 

VARIETIES    OP    TEA. 

Writers  are  not  altogether  agreed  about  the  com- 
parative influence  upon  the  system,  of  the  different 
kinds  of  tea.  The  majority,  however,  hesitate  not 
to  give  the  black  variety,  the  preference.  But  Dr. 
Dunglison,  in  his  work  on  "  Hygiene,"  says,  "  when 
employed  in  moderation,  the  particular  variety  may 
be  wholly  left  to  the  taste  of  the  consumer." 

This  will  be  very  acceptable  news  to  those  who 
happen  to  be  partial  to  either  variety.  But  it  is  too 
good  to  be  true.  We  care  not  a  straw  what  effect 
either  may  have  upon  chemicals  in  a  professor's  la- 
boratory. The  question  is,  what  effects  do  these 
agents  produce  on  the  human  system  ?  Do  they 
make  us  sick  or  well  ?  Do  they  lead  to  weal  or  wo  ? 
Now  it  is  a  daily  occurrence,  that  people  are  bene- 
fitted  by  exchanging  the  green  for  the  black  variety. 
But  the  converse  of  this,  may  be  said  to  be  rare, 
when  the  palate  will  consent  to  have  facts  brought 
into  court  as  witnesses. 

But,  after  all,  what  says  chemical  analysis  ?  In  100 
parts  of  green  tea,  17.80  are  tannin.  Whereas  black 
tea  contains  only  12.88  per  cent,  of  this  powerful 
astringent.  Here  we  perceive  at  once,  a  very  wide 
difference.  Moreover,  Pereira,  in  his  work  on  *'  Diet," 
says,  that  the  peculiar  influence  of  tea  over  the  ner- 
vous system,  depends  on  the  volatile  oil  which  it  con- 


DIET.  53 

tains.  This  I  very  much  doubt.  But  let  us  again 
appeal  to  chemical  analysis,  to  ascertain  its  compar- 
ative influence,  if  it  has  any.  Well,  the  green  vari- 
ety contains  0.79  per  cent,  and  the  black  only  0.60. 
Here  again  we  perceive  a  very  considerable  differ- 
ence in  favor  of  black  tea. 

To  conclude  this  part  of  my  subject,  I  would  re- 
mark, that  the  sugar  taken  with  either  tea  or  coffee, 
often  disagrees  with  the  dyspeptic.  The  quantity  of 
fluid  is  another  objection,  as  it  diminishes  the  solvent 
power  of  the  gastric  juice  by  diluting  it. 

CONDIMENTS. 

A  very  few  words  on  the  subject  of  condiments 
will  suffice.  Salt,  the  first  and  most  important  of  all, 
is  so  generally  used,  and  its  value  appreciated,  that 
none,  except  a  few  one-idea-men,  will  presume  to  ques- 
tion its  value.  (See  remarks  on  Hydropathy.) 

But  we  find  a  variety  of  opinions  respecting  other 
articles,  such  as  vinegar,  pepper,  mustard,  horse-rad- 
ish, ginger,  nutmegs,  &c.,&c.  Any  of  these,  and  sim- 
ilar articles,  may  doubtless  be  used  with  moderation  in 
health,  and  frequently  with  advantage.  A  small 
quantity  of  pepper,  either  black  or  red,  stimulates  the 
nervous  tissue  of  the  stomach,  causing  this  organ  to 
act  with  more  vigor,  and  thereby  promotes  digestion, 
and  has  a  tendency  to  prevent  flatulence.  Vinegar, 
used  moderately,  also  promotes  digestion  and  im- 
proves the  appetite.  But  all  should  be  cautious  how 
they  interrupt  the  wise  and  salutary  operations  of 
nature. 

Whenever  she  says,  "  Here  is  a  subject  for  fat,  and 


54  EXERCISE. 


deems  it  expedient  to  make  a  large  deposit  of  this 
burdensome  tissue,  as  it  sometimes  becomes,  let  her 
alone.  She  knows  what  to  do  better  than  you.  Just 
let  her  proceed.  That  the  reader  may  know  what 
the  writer  means  by  this  hint,  he  takes  the  liberty  of 
presenting  a  brief  sketch  of  an  affecting  case,  which 
will  probably  suffice. 

FATAL    EXPERIMENT. 

"A  few  years  ago,  a  young  lady,  in  easy  circum- 
stances, enjoyed  good  health ;  she  was  very  plump, 
had  a  good  appetite,  and  a  complexion  blooming 
with  roses  an,d  lilies.  She  began  to  look  upon  her 
plumpness  with  suspicion  ;  for  her  mother  was  very 
fat,  and  she  was  afraid  of  becoming  like  her.  Ac- 
cordingly she  consulted  a  woman  who  advised  her 
to  drink  a  small  glass  of  vinegar  daily :  the  young 
lady  followed  her  advice,  and  her  plumpness  dimin- 
ished. She  was  delighted  with  the  success  of  the 
remedy,  and  continued  it  for  more  than  a  month. 
She  began  to  have  a  cough  ;  but  it  was  dry  at  its 
commencement,  and  was  considered  as  a  slight  cold, 
which  would  go  off.  Meantime,  from  day  to  day,  it 
became  moist ;  a  slow  fever  came  on,  and  a  difficul- 
ty of  breathing;  her  body  became  lean,  and  wasted 
away  ;  night-sweats,  swelling  of  the  feet  and  of  the 
legs  succeeded,  and  a  diarrhcBa  terminated  her  life. 
On  examination,  all  the  lobes  of  the  lungs  were  found 
filled  with  tubercles,  and  somewhat  resembling  a 
bunch  of  grapes." 


EXERCISE. 

This  is  a  matter  of  great  importance,  and  de- 
mands our  attention  and  encouragement  at  every 
period  of  life.  It  has  equal  claims  upon  all  nations ; 
and  the  whole  animal  kingdom  is  hardly  less  ex- 
empt than  man.  But  notwithstanding  the  necessity 
is  so  great,  and  the  result  so  good,  when  properly  at- 
tended to,  and  so  ruinous  when  neglected,  yet  many 
let  the  precious  opportunity  slip,  for  securing  one  of 
the  greatest  earthly  blessings  that  man  can  ever  gain, 
until,  when  it  is  too  late,  a  shattered  constitution  re- 
veals to  them  their  folly  ! 

While  many  are  sacrificing  their  health  and  com- 
fort to  a  listless,  idle,  passive  life,  it  behooves  those 
who  fully  realize  the  evil  tendency  of  this  ease-loving 
age,  to  speak  out  to  the  generations  of  the  living, 
such  sentiments  as  the  vast  importance  of  this  vital 
subject  demands.  The  careful  attention  of  the  rea- 
der, for  a  short  time,  is  therefore  respectfully  solicit- 
ed, while  we  briefly  examine  the  subject  of  physi- 
cal exercise,  under  four  heads,  viz. :  its  importance, 
the  testimony  in  its  favor,  the  proper  mode,  and  the 
result. 

ITS    IMPORTANCE. 

That  active  and  habitual  exercise  are  important,  to 
develop  a  strong  and  symmetrical  body — to  preserve 
the  health — to  give  to  food  a  pleasant  relish,  and  to 
sleep  a  refreshing  sweetness — to  make  the  mind 
cheerful,  the  passions  governable,  and  life,  with  all 

its  burdens,  comfortable — appears  too  obvious  to  need 
3* 


56  EXERCISE. 


any  proof.  But  it  is  one  thing  to  admit,  and  another 
thing  to  feel.  . 

If  a  convoy  of  angels  should  be  commissioned  to 
fly  from  the  heavenly  world,  to  this  sickly  planet, 
with  a  message  for  the  slothful  sons  and  daughters 
of  Adam,  and  should  take  their  stands  at  the  corners 
of  our  streets,  and,  with  the  voice  of  a  trumpet,  cry, 
Health,  strength,  and  life,  to  the  active ;  they  would 
have  less  hearers  this  very  day,  than  if  they  cried, 
Cash,  pleasure,  power. 

Let  them  tell  the  inhabitants  how  to  get  gold,  and 
ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  would  be  ready  to  fall 
down  and  worship  them,  saying,  O  tarry  with  us,  tarry 
with  us  ;  your  message  is  thankfully  received,  it  is 
better  than  life ;  pray  tarry,  till  we,  our  children,  and 
our  children's  children,  have  all  obtained  skill  and 
wisdom  to  get  gold. 

But,  as  many  seem  to  require  much  less  evidence 
in  favor  of  the  importance  of  getting  gold  than  of 
getting  health,  we  must  turn  our  attention  for  a  mo- 
ment to  the 

TESTIMONY    IN    FAVOR    OP    PHYSICAL    EXERCISE. 

The  best  specimens  in  its  favor  positively,  are  those 
who  use  it  most,  (if  not  to  excess.)  and  the  best  neg- 
ative specimens,  are  those  who  use  it  least.  The  neg- 
ative and  the  positive  testimony  everywhere  abound. 
And  the  living  witnesses  which  may  be  found  in  al- 
most every  street,  are  doubtless  sufficient  to  satisfy 
every  candid  mind,  with  a  moment's  reflection,  as  to 
the  difference  between  the  active  and  the  idle  man. 
There  is,  moreover,  a  difference  in  more  respects  than 


EXERCISE.  57 

one.  Their  health  and  strength,  their  happiness  and 
usefulness,  their  physical  and  mental  enjoyments,  are 
by  no  means  the  same. 

See  the  man  who  lives  an  active,  stirring  life  !  Who 
has  work  for  his  hands  as  well  as  his  head.  He  has 
a  noble  frame,  a  strong  arm,  a  clear  head,  a  confi- 
ding heart,  and  a  happy  frame  of  mind.  He  is  riot 
suspicious  of  his  friends,  nor  easily  discouraged  in 
times  of  trial. 

Not  so  with  those  who  take  little  or  no  exercise. 
Is  such  man  in  a  good  condition  to  endure  hardship, 
to  meet  adversity  ?  No.  He  is  not  even  prepared 
to  meet  prosperity.  And  instead  of  his  being  quali- 
fied for  activity,  or  the  commerce  of  life,  it  would 
make  him  pant  to  carve  a  turkey  ! 

In  a  word,  there  is  just  about  as  much  difference 
between  the  active  and  the  idle  man,  as  there  is  be- 
tween the  right  hand  and  the  left,  when  the  former 
is  made  to  do  the  work  of  both,  while  the  latter 
hangs  passive  in  a  sling. 

We  have  an  abundance  of  testimony  in  favor  of 
exercise  in  the  book  of  inspiration,  which,  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  condemns  idleness,  and  applauds  ac- 
tivity. And  not  so  much  to  hoard  up  gold,  as  to  pro- 
mote spiritual  and  physical  health. 

NATURE'S    TESTIMONY. 

In  the  book  of  nature,  too,  we  have  testimony  as 
clear  as  the  noon-day  sun.  The  all  wise  Creator  has 
placed  every  living  creature  (with  possibly  a  very 
few  exceptions)  in  circumstances  which  make  it  ne- 


58  EXERCISE. 

cessary  for  all  to  live  a  stirring  life.  And  why  ?  Sim- 
ply to  promote  their  highest  good.  In  this  way  the 
smallest  animalcule  is  perfectly  developed,  and  by 
this  very  necessity,  probably  receives  as  much  com- 
fort as  it  is  possible  for  it  to  enjoy. 

It  is  very  interesting  to  look  at  the  clear  testimony 
which  comes  to  us  from  the  hand  of  our  Creator  at  a 
particular  time  of  life.  It  is  as  much  to  the  point,  as  if 
every  word  which  has  ever  been  uttered  by  man  in 
favor  of  physical  exercise,  had  been  written  down 
by  inspired  prophets. 

Look  at  the  frolicksome  lamb,  the  kid,  the  calf,  the 
colt,  the  kitten.  In  one  sense  there  is  less  need  of 
activity  at  this  period, yet  in  a  very  important  sense, 
it  is  more  demanded  than  at  any  other  time  of  life. 
Now,  the  beneficial  effect  is  two-fold.  Let  parents 
keep  this  in  mind.  It  is  necessary  for  the  natural 
growth  of  the  body,  and  for  the  preservation  of 
health. 

But  how  is  this  important  end  obtained,  while 
there  is  so  little  necessity  for  exertion?  By  a  uni- 
versal inclination  to  play.  And  surely  none  but  an 
atheist  will  say  that  this  is  an  accidental  circum- 
stance. 

Take  for  example  the  kitten.  During  about  one- 
third  of  its  entire  growth,  it  hardly  need  to  use  a 
limb  to  procure  a  subsistence,  as  its  mother  furnish- 
es it  with  milk  and  with  meat.  Yet  every  one 
knows  that  this  playful  kitten  will  take  more  steps 
every  day,  than  its  mother.  And  although  with  a 
different  object,  will  nevertheless  produce  an  equally 


EXERCISE.  59 

important  result.  But,  some  parents  seem  to  think 
that  little  boys  ought  to  be  quite  old  men,  and  little 
girls  old  women  ;  and  seeing  no  necessity  for  so  much 
play,  suppose  that  kittens  frolick  because  they  have 
nothing  else  to  do,  and  that  children  ought  to  be  as 
grave  as  Judges,  and  as  free  from  antics  in  the  field 
or  nursery,  as  if  they  were  in  church.  I  beg  leave, 
therefore,  to  present  a  physiological  reason  why  this 
playful  propensity  should  not  be  restrained.  Or  rath- 
er, why  the  young  have  this  propensity,  instead  of, 
or  more  than  the  adult. 

Lest  mothers  should  neglect  this  important  matter, 
Divine  Wisdom  has  adopted  a  far  better  substitute 
than  parental  authority  or  example,  for  securing  great 
activity  at  this  period  of  life. 

The  brain  of  a  child  six  years  of  age  is  found  to 
be  about  0*0  of  its  entire  weight.  Whereas,  that  of  an 
adult  is  only  ^  to  ^.  Now,  it  is  well  understood  that 
children  are  far  more  prone  to  convulsions  than 
adults.  And  here  we  perceive  the  reason.  The  ner- 
vous centre  is  excessively  developed.  This  being  the 
case,  we  ought  to  give  our  children  much  for  their 
hands  to  do,  and  little  for  their  heads. 

Let  it  be  understood  that  this  superabundance  of 
nervous  energy  stimulates  the  young  to  great  activi- 
ty. It  produces  an  intense  desire  for  play  and  amuse- 
ment, that  can  hardly  be  restrained.  And  by  no 
means  should  it  be  restrained,  nor  is  it  safe.  Nay, 
encourage  it,  in  all  suitable  ways  and  places.  They 
were  made  to  play.  Their  Creator  expects  them  to 
play.  So  let  them  obey  the  voice  of  nature*  Let  them 


60  EXERCISE. 

jump  and  laugh,  and  shout,  and  sing,  and  so  work  off 
this  excess  of  nervous  fluid,  through  this  safety-valve, 
lest  you  find  them  dying  of  convulsions,  or  suffering 
some  calamity  equally  bad.  Now,  as  we  can  have 
no  stronger  proof  of  its  importance,  than  the  fact 
that  we  were  made  for  physical  exercise,  we  will 
pause  a  moment  to  notice  the 

MODE. 

Some  people  are  foolish  enough  to  suppose  that  a 
man  can  hardly  learn  how  to  breathe,  without  going 
to  Europe ;  and  of  course  nothing  can  satisfy  such 
persons  short  of  going  to  Paris,  and  having  Col. 
Amoros  show  them  how  to  climb  a  ladder  and  pull 
a  rope.  Well,  let  them  go.  But  as  there  are  thou- 
sands skilled  in  the  art,  on  the  way,  they  will  learn 
all  that,  before  they  get  far,  if  it  is  not  their  own 
fault. 

The  truth  is,  there  is  no  necessary  mysticism  about 
gymnastics  in  the  least.  Show  me  a  man  who  is 
determined  to  take  active  exercise  daily  in  the  open 
air,  and  I  shall  have  little  fear  for  that  man,  though 
he  may  never  see  a  gymnast  in  his  life.  All  that  can 
be  said  on  the  subject,  will  do  more  good  in  the  way 
of  encouraging  people  to  practice  it,  than  in  showing 
them  how.  Still,  a  few  simple  rules  may  be  noticed. 

Whatever  plan  may  be  devised  for  encouraging 
this  healthful  act,  and  whatever  apparatus  may  be 
used,  it  should  be  remembered  that  much  will  depend 
upon  the  state  of  the  mind,  whether  the  exercise 
itself  shall  be  found  beneficial  or  even  injurious. 


EXERCISE.  61 

A  man,  for  example,  may  endure  an  amount  of  exer- 
cise and  hardship,  with  impunity,  nay,  with  great 
advantage,  in  some  fond  pursuit,  as  in  chasing  the 
deer,  \vhich  might  kill  him  if  compelled  to  do  the 
same  thing. 

NATURE'S  MODE. 

As  exercise  which  promotes  pleasurable  sensations 
is  more  salutary  than  that  which  is  not  attended 
with  recreation,  if  we  are  wise  we  shall  imitate  na- 
ture, and  as  far  as  possible  make  it  all  play.  Present 
the  right  kind  of  exercise,  and  you  can  hardly  find 
a  man  so  old  that  he  will  not  act  out  the  boy  again. 
Amusement  will  be,  and  should  be  had ;  and  if  that 
which  is  harmless  cannot  readily  be  obtained,  that 
which  is  hurtful  will  be  very  likely  to  be  substituted. 

EXTREMES    UNSAFE. 

In  taking  exercise,  two  errors  are  quite  common. 
One  consists  in  doing  too  much,and  the  other  in  doing  too 
little.  The  excess  sometimes  occurs  at  Gymnasiums. 
There  are  those  who  visit  these  places  of  resort  who 
seem  to  think  that  unless  they  put  every  part  to  the 
severest  test,  and  strain  every  muscle  until  they  can 
"  see  stars,"  that  they  do  almost  nothing.  In  this  way, 
there  is  more  hurt  done  than  good.  Let  those  who 
do  not  believe  it,  ask  the  Jockey's  opinion  about  such 
extremes,  and  see  if  he  does  not  say, that  even  ahorse 
subjected  to  such  treatment,  would  soon  be  ruined. 
If  they  do  not  believe  him,  or  think  that  a  man  ought 
to  be  treated  worse  than  a  beast,  let  them  ask  the 
physician  what  he  knows  about  the  strains,  bruises, 


62  EXERCISE. 

ruptures,  hemorrhages,  &c.,  which  occur  from  ex  - 
cessive  exertion. 

This  violent  exercise  is  not  beneficial,  is  not  obey- 
ing the  voice  of  nature,  and  is  not  safe. 

The  other  error,  if  not  so  immediately  hazardous,  is 
far  more  common,  and  therefore,  in  the  aggregate, 
more  disastrous.  A  lady  who  might  enjoy  good 
health,  and  find  many  a  sweet  and  pleasant  hour,  in 
exerting  a  happy  influence  upon  her  friends  and  the 
world  around  her,  often  carries  about  a  world  of  suf- 
fering without  and  within,  and  is  a  burthen  to  her- 
self and  to  society,  and  all  from  want  of  ambition. 
Simply  because  she  cannot  in  any  way  be  induced  to 
live  a  stirring  life. 

But  she  is  not  prepared  to  believe  this.  It  is  a 
very  strange  and  absurd  doctrine  to  her.  Why,  she 
walks  around  a  whole  block  of  houses  every  day, 
besides  combing  her  own  hair,  and  going  down  stairs 
to  dinner,  and  is  surprised  at  her  activity,  and  won- 
ders that  she  is  not  as  strong  as  a  giant ! 

If  she  would  walk  each  day,  one  block  farther 
than  on  the  preceding,  and  perhaps  cut  off  a  few 
right-hand-luxuries  at  the  table,  and  pluck  out  a  few 
right-eye-indulgences  elsewhere,  she  might  soon 
solve  the  mystery. 

The  great  thing  is,  to  take  plenty  of  exercise  daily 
in  the  open  air,  and  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  the 
body  a  free  and  easy  motion.  But  never  for  a  mo- 
ment indulge  the  thought  that  this  cannot  be  effect- 
ed, without  the  prescribed  form  of  some  Jimcrack  of 
a  Gymnast. 

I  am  willing  to  admit,  that  some  are  benefited  by 


EXERCISE.  63 


taking  exercise  at  the  Gymnasium,  and  I  suppose 
that  it  is  the  very  place  for  that  class  who  seem  to 
need  the  strength  and  activity  of  others  to  induce 
them  to  stir  enough  to  keep  their  own  blood  from 
stagnation.  I  would  say  to  such,  go  by  all  means  to 
the  gymnasium,  and  strictly  follow  the  direction  of 
the  teacher,  if  he  is  a  man  of  sense. 

But,  after  all,  I  have  not  a  doubt  that  most  of  those 
who  receive  any  benefit  at  these  places,  may  receive 
still  more  elsewhere,  if  they  will.  For  instance,  those 
who  live  an  out-door  stirring  life,  do  not  need  to  go  to 
such  a  place  to  lift  a  weight,  climb  a  rope,  and  pull 
a  stick — not  at  all.  While  those  who  are  boxed  up 
the  live-long  day,  in  a  dusty,  gassy,  smoky,  confined 
apartment,  certainly  need  a  little  fresh  air,  and 
should  be  encouraged  to  get  it.  For  example,  a 
young  man  is  shut  up  in  a  store  through  the  day,  and 
so  constantly  occupied  at  the  desk,  or  the  counter,  that 
one  hour  in  twenty-four  is  all  that  he  can  possibly 
devote  to  physical  exercise  for  the  improvement  or 
preservation  of  his  bodily  and  mental  health.  Would 
you  shut  him  up  a  little  longer — and  have  him  spend 
that  hour  among  those  who  kick  up  the  dust, 
scientifically?  Better  turn  him  out  into  a  sheep- 
pasture.  He  was  made  to  breathe  the  out-door  air — 
let  him  have  it. 

As  the  reader  will  perceive,  that  I  wish  to  have 
every  man  feel,  that  if  it  is  not  his  own  fault,  he  will 
have  a  gymnasium  of  his  own,  and  a  gymnast  too, 
I  will  here  take  the  liberty  of  calling  his  attention 
to  one  of  the  best  arranged  gymnasiums  which  can  be 
found,  and  to  which  I  had  the  pleasure  of  an  intro- 


C4 


EXERCISE. 


duction  some  thirty  years  ago,  in  Massachusetts.  A 
better  teacher  than  those  had,  who  took  a  part  in  it, 
could  not  be  found.  The  exercises  appeared  to  be  of 
the  most  appropriate  and  healthful  character,  and 
were  enjoyed  in  the  highest  degree.  And  as  I  have 
since  seen  nothing  of  the  kind  more  perfect,  I  take 
pleasure  in  giving  the  reader  a  slight  glimpse  of  it, 
though  it  comes  far  short  of  the  reality. 


Nature's   Gymnasium. 

Yes, in  the  open  field,  in  the  shady  forest,  and  out  up- 
on the  great  and  wide-spread  sea,  are  the  appropriate 
places  for  exercise.  These  are  nature's  gymnasiums, 
and  they  all  have  a  perfect  teacher,  and  teachable 
pupils.  Can  the  farmer  improve  upon  nature's  plan 
for  giving  exercise  to  the  lamb  in  the  pasture  ?  Can 
the  hunter  teach  the  fawn  how  to  gambol  in  the  wil- 


EXERCISE.  65 

derness  ?  Can  the  fisherman  instruct  the  whale  how 
to  swim  in  the  great  deep?  The  untutored  In- 
dian, whose  yell  in  the  forest,  if  not  sufficient  to 
wake  up  an  earthquake,  is  quite  enough  to  start 
from  their  slumbers  both  friend  and  foe,  for  miles 
around — shall  he  go  to  a  gymnast  to  learn  how  to 
inflate  his  lungs  and  expand  his  chest? 

RESULT. 

Influence  of  Location,  Position,  $c. 

It  is  well  known  that  many  exercise  much,  and  do 
not  receive  the  benefit  which  they  need.  The  failure 
may  often  be  attributed  to  location  and  position.  By 
location,  I  mean  the  spot  occupied,  and  by  posi- 
tion, the  state  of  the  body.  Two  specimens  will 
illustrate  the  sentiment,  viz. — the  Tailor  and  the 
Woodsawyer.  The  former  works  as  hard,  and  is  as 
tired  at  night  as  the  latter.  But  every  one  knows 
that  the  effects  of  these  different  exercises  are  not 
alike  good.  The  latter  has  greatly  the  advantage 
of  the  former,  both  in  location  and  position,  and  con- 
sequently receives  a  correspondingly  greater  amount 
of  benefit. 

But  there  is  still  another  influence  to  prevent  a 
good  result,  which  may  be  noticed.  For  example,  a 
poor  widow  has  to  support  herself  and  her  little  ones, 
with  her  needle.  She  goes  to  some  of  those  clothing 
shops,  the  owners  of  which  are  proverbial  for  gra- 
nite faces,  and  she  asks  for  work.  The  man  says, 
"  I  can  give  you  a  lot  of  vests  to  make,  for  which  I 
will  pay  you  ten  cents  a  piece." 


66  EXERCISE. 

"Can  you  give  me  no  more,"  says  the  industrious, 
needy  woman. 

"  Not  a  cent." 

<'  I  fear  I  shall  starve  at  that  price." 

"  I  cannot  help  that,  I  can  get  as  many  made  as  I 
please  for  less." 

"  Well,  I  must  do  something,  for  my  poor  children 
have  not  yet  had  any  breakfast,  and  I  was  compelled 
to  leave  them  in  bed,  for  want  of  fuel  and  clothing. 
And,  beside  all  this,  my  poor  boy,  my  future  depen- 
dence, is  now  sick,  and  I  have  not  a  shilling  to  pay  for 
the  medicine  which  the  doctor  ordered  this  morning ; 
and  how  I  am  to  redeem  the  clothing  which  yester- 
day I  had  to  take  from  his  bed  to  the  'Pawn  Broker's,' 
to  keep  my  children  from  starving,  I  know  not-  So 
you  will  please  give  me  as  many  even  at  that  rate, 
as  you  think  I  can  make  in  time  to  answer  your 
purpose." 

But  the  inhuman  monster,  ready  ever  to  take  the 
advantage  of  an  honest  confession,  replies, "  I  can  let 
you  have  but  a  dollar's  worth  at  that  price.  You 
can  take  more  at  eight  if  you  wish." 

She  takes  as  many  as  she  can  well  carry,  in  her 
feeble  condition,  and  hurries  home  as  fast  as  she  can, 
to  encourage  the  sick  and  the  hungry  ones  to  expect 
relief  in  due  time.  She  plies  her  needle  with  all  her 
might  the  live-long  day,  and  half  the  night,  giving  a 
word  of  comfort  and  hope  to  the  little  group  at  al- 
most every  stitch,  and  from  time  to  time  administering 
to  their  wants,  according  to  her  ability. 

Thus  she  goes  on,  day  after  day,  trying  to  make 
her  little  darlings  as  comfortable  as  possible,  hardly 


EXERCISE.  67 

thinking  of  herself,  or  even  daring  to  look  forward 
to  quarter-day.  But  still  she  finds  that  she  can  by 
no  possible  exertion  or  economy,  gain  upon  her 
stock  of  comforts.  She  looks  at  the  last  loaf  of 
bread,  the  last  inch  of  candle,  and  the  last  chip  of 
fuel,  and  with  a  sigh  and  a  tear,  and  in  the  midst  of 
cries  of  " Hurry,  mother  dear"  starts  with  her  ten 
vests  for street  to  get  her  dollar. 

But  does  she  get  it?  No.  The  villain  declares 
that,  as  ninety-six  pence  are  eight  shillings,  so  ninety- 
six  cents  are  one  dollar,  and  takes  special  pains  to 
pay  her  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  give  her  another 
cent. 

Now  it  will  not  be  very  difficult  to  perceive,  that  this 
kind  of  exercise,  which  is  bad  enough  under  the  most 
favorable  circumstances,  will  not  be  very  salutary 
under  such  discouragements  and  abuse.  Who  can- 
not see  that  if  this  class  of  persons  could  once  feel 
that  they  were  well  paid  for  their  toil,  that  if  they  could 
at  every  stitch  hear  hope  whisper,  "  a  good  time 
coming,"  that  they  might  work  hard,  early  and  late, 
with  far  less  risk  of  constitutional  suffering  ? 

But  lest  the  reader  should  get  an  uncharitable 
opinion  of  the  "  trade,"  I  ought  to  remark,  that  all 
respectable  shops  pay  their  seamstresses  pretty  libe- 
ral wages. 

And  lest  some  should  say,  It  cannot  be  that  such  a 
pirate  as  just  described  is  tolerated  in  this  goodly  city, 
I  beg  leave  to  say,  that  my  tailor,  who  is  a  gentleman 
of  integrity,  informs  me  that  he  has  now  in  his  em- 
ploy a  female  who  has  been  repeatedly  robbed  in 
this  very  way,  as  to  the  manner  of  making  payments 


68  EXERCISE. 

&c.,  until  she  could  endure  it  no  longer.  He  also 
gave  me  the  name  of  the  robber,  which  I  am  not 
quite  sure  that  I  ought  to  withhold  from  the  public, 
as  every  man  ought  to  shun  such  an  establishment 
AS  he  would  a  den  of  thieves. 

Physical  exercise  is  useful  in  at  least  a  two-fold 
sense.  It  is  of  much  service  to  the  mind,  as  well  as 
to  the  body.  The  union  of  mind  and  matter,  is  a 
very  profound  and  mysterious  subject.  Sometimes  they 
harmonize,  at  other  times  they  disagree.  They  act 
and  re-act  upon  each  other,  but  how  we  know  not. 
Now  when  we  find  anything  for  our  hands  to  do, 
which  is  agreeable,  it  assists  the  mind  in  getting  out 
of  the  deep  labyrinth  of  imaginary  evil,  and  thus 
prevents  its  preying  upon  itself,  or  the  body.  It  is 
also  of  paramount  importance  to  the  material 
frame. 

"Agreeable  exercise,"  says  a  distinguished  writer, 
"  acts  as  a  salutary  excitant  to  the  intellectual 
faculties  and  sensations. 

*'  Employed  moderately,  it  has  a  tonic  and  stimu- 
lating influence  on  the  system,  and  is  calculated  to 
be  beneficial  in  a  great  variety  of  complaints.  Used 
immoderately,  it  exhausts  both  the  mental  and  bodily 
powers,  and  produces  great  debility." 

Exercise  promotes  digestion,  assimilation,  secre- 
tion, circulation,  absorption,  exhalation,  and  respira- 
tion. The  last  named  function  is  influenced  by  ex- 
ercise in  a  very  important  sense,  and  demands  a  spe- 
cial notice. 

The  thorax,  which  contains  in  its  cavity  the  lungs, 
heart,  &c.,  is  composed  of  several  tissues,  three  of 


EXERCISE.  69 


which,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  notice  on  this  occasion, 
viz. — bones,  muscles,  and  cartilages.  The  bones 
and  cartilages  constitute  the  principal  frame-work, 
and  are  so  articulated  as  to  admit  a  pretty  free  mo- 
tion in  several  directions,  and  thus  allow  a  modifica- 
tion of  said  cavity  by  dilatation  and  contraction. 
Tht- se  movements  produce  inspiration  and  expiration, 
which  together  constitute  the  function  of  respira- 
tion. 

But  it  will  be  remembered  that  the  muscles  are 
the  only  active  organs  of  locomotion,  and  of  course 
are  the  only  active  agents  in  performing  this  indis- 
pensable function.  In  this  interesting  and  vitally 
important  operation,  the  lungs  are  passive.  They 
have  not  the  least  power  to  draw  in,  or  expel  a  par- 
ticle of  air,  except,  that  when  distended,  they  have 
a  tendency  to  return  upon  themselves  by  virtue  of 
their  elasticity ;  so  that  we  may  say  that  we  breathe 
with  our  muscles.  It  is  true  they  use  the  lungs ;  so 
they  also  use  the  bones,  cartilages,  ligaments,  &c., 
but  the  muscles  do  the  work,  and  in  extreme  emer- 
gency the  number  which  are  brought  into  requisition 
amount  to  one  hundred  and  one. 

Now,  if  we  call  to  mind  the  indispensable  change 
which  is  wrought  in  the  blood  at  every  breath, 
through  a  long  life,  and  remember  that  this  change 
cannot  possibly  be  produced  without  muscular  effort, 
we  shall  be  prepared  in  some  measure  to  appreciate 
that  exercise  which  calls  into  play  the  respiratory 
muscles  in  such  a  manner  that  they  shall  acquire 
strength  to  so  expand  and  contract  the  chest,  that  no 
ordinary  obstruction  shall  prevent  a  free  circulation 


70  EXERCISE. 

of  air  through  all  the  delicate  air  vesicles  where  said 
change  is  wrought.  Exercise  that  does  this,  is  sure 
to  do  good. 

But  there  are  those  in  the  world,  who  seem  to  go 
all  for  contraction  of  the  chest,  as  though  it  were 
more  important  to  shut  the  air  out  of  the  lungs,  than 
to  let  it  in.  But  this  error  will  be  noticed  under 
another  head. 

When  speaking  of  diet,  I  remarked  that  active 
exercise,  immediately  after  a  full  meal,  is  not  advisa- 
ble. Here  again  we  have  a  hint  from  nature.  In- 
deed, her  teaching  is  always  good.  How  quickly  does 
the  animal,  when  plentifully  supplied  with  food,  obey 
the  voice  of  nature,  if  nothing  prevent,  and  remain 
on  some  soft  spot  to  take  a  nap.  This  is  the  time 
when  the  stomach  has  an  important  function  to  per- 
form, and  its  energies  should  not  be  diminished  by 
laborious  exertion.  Although  exercise  materially 
aids  digestion,  yet  let  it  be  remembered  that  it  does 
so  by  giving  a  healthy  tone  to  the  digestive  organs, 
when  taken  at  a  proper  time,  and  not  by  giving 
the  body  or  the  mind  a  hard  task  to  perform  at  this 
critical  period.  It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  rest 
is  quite  as  important  as  exercise. 

WRONG   CONCLUSION. 

The  benefit  derived  from  exercise,  is  not  always 
apparent  when  first  taken.  Indeed  it  is  quite  com- 
mon for  people  to  adopt  a  very  erroneous  conclusion 
in  regard  to  the  first  effect  of  taking  some  kind  of 
exercise  to  which  the  person  has  not  been  accus- 


EXERCISE.  71 

tomed.     It  is  said,  "  It  has  done  me  more  hurt  than 
good,  for  I  feel  as  sore  as  if  I  had  been  pounded." 

Not  so.  It  simply  proves  that  certain  idle  muscles 
have  been  set  to  work,  and  no  wonder  that  they  at 
first  complain.  Don't  let  this  deter  you  a  moment. 
It  is  just  the  blacksmith's  experience  when  he  first 
begins  to  swing  the  hammer.  But  every  one  knows 
full  well  that  his  arm  is  far  from  becoming  puny  by 
this  apparent  injury.  Persevere,  and  the  effect  will 
be,  that  the  muscles  will  increase  in  volume  and 
strength,  and  soon  cease  to  complain.  If  bread 
may  be  called  the  "staff  of  life,"  surely  exercise 
may  be  called  the  staff  of  health. 

BENEFICIAL   IN    DISEASE. 

If  physical  exercise  is  so  beneficial  in  health,  it 
cannot  be  difficult  to  perceive  that  an  important  be- 
nefit may  be  derived  from  such  an  agent  in  certain 
forms  of  disease.  As  severe  acute  diseases  usually  re- 
quire rest,  it  is  obvious  that  chronic  maladies  mainly, 
indicate  the  use  of  this  agent.  The  want  of  exercise 
often  produces  that  form  of  disease  which  is  so  well 
known,  and  yet  so  ill  known,  viz.,  dyspepsia.  It  is 
presumed  that  no  disease  has  more  victims  than  this, 
and  hardly  any  makes  its  subjects  so  wretched  in 
body  and  mind.  True,  few  are  more  susceptible  of 
cure  or  improvement,  and  yet  no  physician,  in  his 
right  mind,  would  think  of  treating  it  successfully 
without  plenty  of  exercise  in  the  open  air. 

But  while  we  highly  value  exercise,  both  in  health 
and  disease,  yet  we  do  not  expect  it  to  do  every 


72  EXERCISE. 

thing.    We  hail  it  as  an  indispensable  agent,  but  not 
as  a  specific. 

NOVEL   GYMNASTIC    EXERCISES. 

The  reader  may  recollect  that,  some  few  years 
since,  a  gentleman  in  the  city  of  New- York  an- 
nounced a  specific  for  dyspepsia.  Many  sent  to  him 
from  different  parts  of  the  country  for  the  wonderful 
secret.  It  consisted  in  thumping  the  belly. 

Now  this  thumping  process,  which  was  thus  put 
in  operation  throughout  the  land,  and  which  possibly 
presented  a  ludicrous  scene  to  those  of  moderate 
gravity,  was  not  altogether  in  vain.  Neither  is  it  at 
all  strange  that  this  pinching,  punching,  pounding  the 
abdomen  should  be  more  or  less  beneficial.  Indeed, 
I  have  heard  candid  persons  acknowledge  the  benefit, 
and  they  are  so  many  witnesses  in  favor  of  physical 
exercise,  although  some  may  rather  object  to  the 
gymnastic  apparatus. 


HYDROPATHY. 

Lest  I  should  offend  the  advocates  for  cold  water, 
I  must  not  fail  to  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  impor- 
tance of  bathing.  The  value  of  cold  water,  hot 
water,  ice  and  steam,  is  seldom  called  in  question  at 
the  present  day.  We  are  all  aware  of  the  refresh- 
ing influence  of  the  cooling  draught  in  "dog  days." 
We  are  also  familar  with  the  bracing  effect  of  the 
cold,  and  the  soothing  influence  of  the  warm  bath. 

But  we  must  not  let  a  little  water  wash  away  all 
confidence  in  every  thing  else.  That  a  simple  fluid 
which  has  ever  constituted  a  large  portion  of  our 
victuals  and  drink — which  has  hardly  been  out  of 
our  mouths,  or  off  our  faces  since  we  were  born, 
should  now,  in  these  latter  days,  become,  the  world 
over,  the  "pool  of  Bethesda"  is  truly  marvelous. 

By  no  means  do  we  undervalue  the  use  of  pure 
water  as  a  hygienic,  or  a  therapeutic  agent.  Nay, 
we  extol  its  virtues  ;  and  urge  a  more  frequent  use 
of  this  fluid,  which  is  too  much  neglected  by  the  great 
majority,  while  some,  who  have  but  "owe  idea" 
doubtless  use  it  to  excess. 

After  being  fatigued  and  burdened  with  care  and 
toil  through  the  day,  a  bath  at  night,  is  the  best  and 
safest  of  all  anodynes  for  domestic  practice.  Indeed 
it  may  be  taken  night  and  morning  too,  with  great 
advantage,  either  warm  or  cold,  according  to  cir- 
cumstances. The  warm,  or  tepid  bath,  is  generally 
considered  the  most  soothing;  but  the  cold  bath  is 
decidedly  the  most  invigorating,  and  is,  in  fact,  the  only 


74  HYDROPATHY. 


form  which  may  with  any  propriety  be  called  a 
tonic. 

In  commencing  bathing,  the  safest  plan  is,  to  be- 
gin with  the  water  about  blood  warm,  or  98  °  (Fah.), 
and  gradually  diminish  the  temperature  daily.  Soon 
the  water  will  be  tolerated  at  75  ° ,  and  even  less,  by 
many.  The  application  should  be  followed  with  plen> 
ty  of  friction.  A  very  useful  form  of  bathing,  though 
it  does  not  agree  \vith  all,  is  the  cold  shower-bath. 

Bathing  should  be  avoided  immediately  after  a  full 
meal,  and  cold  bathing  should  not  be  practiced  when 
the  surface  is  cold  or  chilly,  or  excessively  warm. 
Early  in  the  morning  before  breakfast,  ten  to  twelve 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  two  or  three  hours  after  dinner, 
or  just  before  retiring  at  night,  are  as  appropriate 
seasons  as  can  be  selected  for  ablution.  Children, 
and  those  who  are  feeble,  should  be  cautious  about 
staying  in  the  cold  bath  too  long.  Stay  not  a  moment 
after  beginning  to  feel  chilly.  Let  none  fail  to  use 
friction.  I  would  also  caution  the  reader  against  a 
frequent  use  of  hot  baths.  They  weaken  the  system. 
By  hot  baths,  I  mean,  more  than  blood  warm. 

Although  pure  fresh  water  may  be  used  in  vari- 
ous ways  with  great  advantage,  jret,  in  many  chronic 
affections,  it  can  hardly  compare  with  sea-water. 
But  Hydropathists,  or  "  cold  water-doctors,"  though 
better  named  Fresh-water- doctors,  deny  this,  and  of 
course  would  have  people  get  away  from  the  sea- 
shore, to  be  packed  in  sheets  dipped  in  the  mountain 
rill  at  their  own  chosen  retreats.  And  why?  Be- 
cause, say  they,  the  ocean  contains  various  drugs. 
Yes,  we  know  that  it  does,  and  this  is  the  very  thing 


HYDROPATHY. 


that  adds  to  its  value.  Every  physician  who  has 
had  any  experience,  and  is  fortunate  enough  to  have 
common  sense,  knows  full  well,  that  salt  water-bath- 
ing acts  like  a  charm,  in  scrofulous  affections,  ner- 
vous debility,  general  prostration,  loss  of  flesh,  en- 
ergy, appetite,  &c.  Indeed,  the  very  atmosphere 
about  the  salt  water  is  so  invigorating,  and  full  of 
health-giving  influence,  that  a  sick  man  with  any 
curable  disease,  can  hardly  go  to  sea  without  benefit — 
unless  perchance  he  takes  along  with  him  a  doctor 
or  two. 

The  fact  is,  we  have  so  many  one-idea-doctors,  and 
one-idea-patients,  that  we  have  to  look  out  sharp  for 
extremes.  For  it  would  seem  that  those  who  go  the 
whole  figure  for  the  "  water-cure,"  would  have  us  be- 
lieve that,  as  a  matter  of  course,  if  thoroughly  ap- 
plied, cold  fresh  water  will  be  just  as  certain  to  wash 
away  every  curable  disease  by  which  the  suffering 
are  afflicted,  as  is  the  mighty  Niagara  to  wash  every 
thing  down  into  the  deep  and  fearful  abyss  which 
floats  upon  the  very  verge  of  the  cataract. 

Suppose  a  man  should  say  I  have  found  ten  good 
things  and  that  is  enough.  No  man  ought  to 
have  more.  Every  thing  can  be  done  with  ten  good 
things,  which  can  be  done  with  a  greater  number, 
and  every  thing  else  is  useless.  What  would  people 
say  of  him  ?  In  every  thing  else  but  in  treating  the 
sick,  he  would  be  called  a  fool!  But  in  practicing 
the  healing  art,  the  number  is  too  great  by  nine  ! 

Yes,  water  is  all-sufficient.  It  is  "  the  remedy"  lilt 
is  nature's  own  remedy."  Well,  so  it  is.  But  had  na- 
ture anything  more  to  do  in  causing  the  water  to  flow 


76  HYDROPATHY. 


than  in  causing  the  Rhubarb,  the  Ipecac,  and  the 
Poppy  to  grow  ?  The  question  is  not,  Is  there  no 
water  ?  but  "Is  there  no  balm  in  Gilead  ?" 

On  a  certain  occasion,  the  Great  Physician  himself 
saw  fit  to  use  water  in  restoring  sight,  yet  let  it  be 
remembered,  he  used  other  remedies  also,  for  he  first 
"  spat  on  the  ground  and  made  clay"  (a  mineral  reme- 
dy,) and  anointed  the  blind  man's  eyes,  and  said, 
"Go  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam."  Some  of  our 
"  water-cure  doctors"  are  so  afraid  of  drugs,  that 
they  even  attempt  to  exclude  common  salt  from  the 
table.  Well,  let  us  look  at  this,  the  best  of  all  con- 
diments, and  valuable  medicinal  agent,  and  see  if 
this  is  not  also  "  nature's  own  remedy."  Let  me  in- 
troduce the  anti-drug  doctor  to  one  of  the  "  salt  licks," 
as  they  are  called  by  the  hunter,  perhaps  he  may 
study  "  Materia  Medica"  at  such  a  spot  with  profit, 
though  man  is  slow  to  take  instruction  from  a  brute. 


HYDROPATHY. 


77 


Scene  at  a  Salt  Lick. 

These  brackish  springs  abound  in  our  western  for- 
ests. For  this  water  the  Elk,  Deer,  &c.,  have  a  great 
relish.  Secreted  near  by,  have  I  lain  at  night,  with  my 
rifle  in  my  arms,  to  take  advantage  of  that  propensity 
for  "  drugs,"  which  nature  has  given  them.  The  Wolf 
and  the  Panther  not  unfrequently  take  their  station 
there,  also,  but  more  for  meat,  than  salt.  And  al- 
though the  poor  deer  find  no  friends  at  such  places, 
(for  the  Hydropathist  would  hardly  spare  them,)  and 
though  they  get  frightened  away  again  and  again,  yet 
so  strong  is  the  craving  for  salt,  that  they  will  return, 
night  after  night,  and  from  the  appearance  of  their 
paths,  travel  miles  to  gratify  their  appetite. 

But  lest  it  should  be  said,  that  the  water  may  con- 
tain something  else  rather  than  salt,  which  they  so 


78  HYDROPATHY. 


highly  prize,  I  would  remark,  that  I  have  often  made 
what  are  called  "  artificial  licks,"  even  within  a  short 
distance  of  my  "  cabin,"  by  boring  into  a  tree  lying  on 
the  ground,  and  filling  it  with  salt.  And  I  have  been 
Surprised  to  see  how  soon  these  animals  would  find 
it,  and  how  greedily  they  would  gnaw  into  the  solid 
wood  to  obtain  the  condiment. 

Now  these  anti-hydropathists  who  are  thus  guilty 
of  introducing  minerals  into  the  system,  (untaught 
by  man,)  obey  the  voice  of  nature,  and  what  do  you 
say,  anti-drug  doctor,  is  not  this  "  nature's  own  reme- 
dy r 

The  Jockey  also  might  give  you  some  light  on  the 
subject,  for  he  treats  his  patients  better,  knowing  that 
if  he  does  not,  they  will  soon  die  of  "  botts." 

The  farmer •,  too,  knows  very  well,  that  this  relish 
for  salt  was  not  given  to  his  flocks  in  vain.  And  if 
he  happens  to  forget  it,  nature  soon  jogs  his  memory 
with  a  dead  lamb  ! 

Finally,  I  refer  the  reader  to  a  form  of  punishment 
which  once  existed  in  Holland,  which  exhibited  fear- 
ful testimony  against  the  absurd  sentiment  that  salt 
is  prejudicial  to  health. 

"  The  ancient  laws  of  the  country  ordained  men  to 
be  kept  on  bread  alone,  unmixed  with  salt,  as  the  se- 
verest punishment  that  could  be  inflicted  on  them  in 
their  moist  climate.  The  effect  was  horrible  ;  these 
wretched  criminals  are  said  to  have  been  devoured 
with  worms  engendered  in  their  own  stomachs." 
(Paris  on  Diet,  p.  78.) 

As  I  did  not  intend  to  notice,  in  this  volume,  each 
branch  of  a  very  numerous  family  of  medical  hum- 


HYDROPATHY.  79 


bugs,  T  beg  leave  to   proceed  to  the   discussion  of 
other  topics. 

FOOT   BATH. 

This  simple  agent  is  of  so  much  value,  that  I  would 
have  all  feel  that  whether  they  have  facilities  for 
general  bathing  or  not,  this  form  of  bathing  need 
never  be  neglected,  and  can  hardly  ever  be  used  in 
vain. 

In  that  deranged  state  of  the  system,  called  a  cold, 
it  is  pretty  generally  known  to  be  of  service,  though 
even  in  this  case,  it  is  not  half  appreciated.  But  to 
suppose  that  it  is  good  for  nothing  else,  is  to  make  a 
very  great  mistake.  Many  are  annoyed  with  cold 
feet,  during  the  winter,  and  it  is  not  saying  enough, 
to  call  this  condition  of  the  inferior  extremities,  an 
uncomfortable  one.  It  is  more  than  this. 

IMPORTANCE    OF    SUPERFICIAL    CIRCULATION. 

In  the  first  place  it  may  be  proper  to  inquire  into 
the  cause  of  cold  feet,  or  rather  why  they  are  ever 
warm. 

Heat  circulates  throughout  the  body,  through  the 
medium  of  the  blood.  Let  there  be  a  due  supply  of 
this  life-giving  fluid  in  any  part  of  the  body,  and,  no 
matter  how  cold  the  air  which  surrounds  it,  it  cannot 
be  cold.  The  temperature  of  this  fluid  in  health,  is 
98°  (Fan.),  and  it  is  a  very  interesting  fact,  that  na- 
ture maintains  this  standard  with  very  little  increased 
or  diminished  variation  through  life,  whether  in  sick- 
ness or  health,  in  cold  climates  or  warm 

Whenever   the   vessels    contract    (whatever   the 


80  FOOT-BATH. 


cause,)  the  blood  begins  to  recede,  and  then  the  sen- 
sation of  cold  commences,  and  is  more  or  less  severe 
as  the  part  becomes  bloodless,  and  according  to  the 
temperature  of  the  medium  which  surrounds  it.  We 
all  know  that  a  person  may  suffer  much  with  the 
cold,  in  mid-summer,  during  a  fit  of  ague,  and  also 
feel  very  much  oppressed  with  heat,  in  mid- winter, 
in  a  paroxysm  of  fever.  Now  the  blood  remains  of 
very  nearly  the  same  temperature  in  both  cases. 

But  we  must  remember  that  its  distribution  is  en- 
tirely different.  And  this  will  account  for  the  dis- 
similar sensations,  while  the  blood  itself  remains 
nearly  or  quite  unaltered.  Without  a  knowledge  of 
this  fact,  it  is  hard  for  people  to  believe  that  their 
blood  is  just  as  warm  when  they  say,  "  I  am  chilled 
through,"  as  when  they  say,  "  I  am  burning  up  ftith 
this  fever."  After  the  chill  passes  off,  however,  and 
the  blood  returns  to  the  surface,  they  usually  feel 
very  much  inclined  to  think  that  it  has  not  lost  much 
of  its  caloric. 

The  sldn,  or  external  covering  of  the  body,  may 
be  considered  as  an  expanded  nerve,  the  grand  organ 
of  sensation,  which,  through  a  long  life,  conveys  to 
the  brain  from  day  to  day,  through  the  medium  of 
the  nerves,  a  variety  of  sensations,  both  agreeable  and 
painful,  with  great  fidelity.  Hence,  when  a  large 
amount  of  blood  rushes  to  the  surface  of  the  body, 
there  is  a  sensation  of  great  heat,  and  when  it  re- 
cedes, the  opposite  feeling  prevails. 

Now  when  the  blood  is  properly  distributed,  there 
is  usually,  in  no  part  of  the  body,  either  deficiency  or 
excess.  But  an  unequal  distribution,  we  can  see  at 


POULTICES. 


once,  will  give  one  part  too  little,  and  another 
part  too  much.  From  this  may  and  does  arise  se- 
rious consequences.  The  evil  does  not  usually  befall 
the  part  that  thus  becomes  minus,  but  the  organ  or 
part  which  has  more  than  a  normal  quantity.  The 
result  of  this  may  be  congestion,  inflammation,  sup- 
puration, mortification,  hemorrhage,  &c. 

Now  suppose  that  in  consequence  of  cold  extrem- 
ities through  the  day,  or,  in  other  words,  an  absence 
of  the  necessary  amount  of  blood  to  keep  them 
warm,  the  lungs  or  other  organs  are  so  charged  with 
blood,  that  congestion  of  an  alarming  character  is 
ready  to  supervene.  Up  to  this  time,  the  person  has 
had  no  pain,  and  is  not  aware  of  the  least  danger. 
But,  before  going  to  bed,  he  wisely  takes  a  stimula- 
ting foot-bath.  The  consequence  is,  the  skin  is  soft- 
ened, healthful  perspiration  established,  the  vessels 
on  the  surface  are  expanded,  the  equilibrium  is  re- 
stored, the  night  is  passed  in  safe  and  refreshing  re- 
pose, and  the  man  escapes  a  sudden  death  and  never 
knows  it ! 

But  this  is  not  all.  With  this  application  at  night, 
with  plenty  of  friction,  the  vessels  of  those  parts 
which  have  been  cold  through  the  day,  will  be  more 
likely  to  perform  their  appropriate  function  the  suc- 
ceeding day. 

POULTICES. 

This,  in  reality,  is  no  more  nor  less,  than  a  local 
bathj  and  is  often  the  most  convenient  and  efficient 
form  that  can  be  resorted  to.  But,  unfortunately  for 
this  generation,  it  has  lost  its  novelty.  It  is  so  aim- 


POULTICES. 


pie,  so  cheap,  and  so  domestic,  that  it  seems  hard  for 
some  people  to  see  anything  good  in  it. 

But  the  question  is  often  asked,  "  What  kind  of  a 
poultice  is  best?" 

Well,  one  man  is  partial  to  bread  and  milk,  another 
to  flax-seed,  the  third  to  slippery  elm,  the  fourth  to 
Indian-meal,  and  the  fifth  to  bran,  &c.  But,  in  a 
great  majority  of  cases,  it  is  mere  fancy.  The  grand 
agents,  after  all,  are  heat  and  moisture.  As  to  milk, 
it  is  no  better  than  water,  and  frequently  far  less 
agreeable,  as  it  so  soon  sours. 

When  there  is  great  pain  in  the  part,  it  is  very  pro- 
per to  add  to  the  ordinary  poultice,  some  anodyne, 
such  as  a  strong  infusion  of  hops.  Laudanum  may 
also  be  used,  but  if  the  patient  is  a  child,  and  the 
part' to  be  poulticed  happens  to  be  raw,  a  little  cau- 
tion may  be  necessary,  lest  too  much  of  the  poison 
should  be  absorbed. 

For  painful  swellings,  a  better  poultice  than  poun- 
ded stramonium  leaves,  can  hardly  be  obtained. 

If  gangrene,  or  mortification,  is  feared,  a  poultice 
made  of  good  yeast,  should  be  applied,  and  fre- 
quently repeated. 

There  can  hardly  be  an  objection  to  poultices, 
where  common  sense  seems  to  indicate  them.  I  am 
aware  that  some  are  afraid  to  advise  a  poultice, 
where  it  is  desirable  to  avoid  suppuration.  But  I 
know  not  why.  I  am  fully  satisfied  that,  nine  times 
out  of  ten,  they  do  more  to  prevent  than  to  encour- 
age it.  They  deplete  the  part,  and  thus  relieve  the 
blood-vessels.  They  soften  the  part,  and  thus  dimin- 
ish the  swelling  and  the  pain  ;  and  they  promote  ab- 


POULTICES. 

sorption.  If  anything  better  can  be  done  to  prevent 
suppuration,  I  must  confess  I  know  not  what  it  is. 
And  when  suppuration  is  unavoidable,  they  actually 
diminish  the  amount,  and  make  the  patient  more 
comfortable.  If  the  part  is  not  inclined  to  undergo 
this  process  or  change,  you  may  poultice  it  as  long  as 
you  please,  and  the  patient  will  be  as  likely  to  grow 
fat  from  external  nourishment,  as  you  will  be  to  ob- 
tain any  pus. 

Now,  if  a  man  happens  to  "  run  against  a  snag," 
leaving  on  the  end  of  it,  a  pound  of  flesh,  the  loss 
of  which  would  make  a  very  considerable  concavi- 
ty in  a  leg  or  an  arm  ;  let  him  remember  that  there 
is  nothing  he  can  apply  which  will  make  the  little 
granulations  sprout  out  and  fill  up  the  cavity,  so  beau- 
tifully and  so  quickly,  as  a  simple  poultice.  Keep  it 
on,  and  never  fear  the  snags,  and  you  will  find  it  so. 
Don't  hear  a  word  about  plasters,  and  salves,  and 
extracts,  and  goose-grease,  and  "  all-healing  oint- 
ments." Not  a  word  of  it.  Every  body  has  some 
"  all-healing"  remedy.  But  strictly  speaking  there  is 
no  healing  remedy  in  nature,  but  nature  herself. 
Other  things  may  remove  dead  weights,  and  there  is 
nothing  better  than  a  poultice  for  this,  unless  the 
knife  be  indicated ;  but  nature  always  has,  and  al- 
ways will  do  all  the  healing  herself,  every  bit  of  it, 
if  it  is  ever  done  at  all.  So,  friend,  don't  forget  the 
poultice,  for  it  is  a  friend  to  almost  every  sore. 

In  short,  if  we  should  put  a  little  more  bread  on 
the  outside  in  the  shape  of  poultices  and  fomenta- 
tions, and  a  little  less  inside,  in  the  shape  of  pud- 


84  FRICTION. 


dings  and  dressings,  we  should  be  a  little  better 
off. 

FRICTION. 

Here  we  have  another  agent  which  is  somewhat 
akin,  in  its  effects,  to  the  last  two  herein  mentioned. 
This  is  also  a  remedy  which  belongs  to  that  list 
which  costs  nothing,  and  therefore  is  worth  nothing. 
Sometimes  people  show  their  fallibility,  very  con- 
clusively, by  making  estimates  according  to  this 
rule. 

One  half  of  the  curative  influence  which  is  attri- 
buted to  vapor  baths  in  Russia  and  elsewhere,  may 
undoubtedly  be  credited  to  the  shampooing,  or  fric- 
tion which  follows.  It  breaks  up  morbid  adhesions, 
removes  rigidity  and  stiffness  of  the  joints,  equalizes 
the  circulation,  promotes  secretion  and  absorp- 
tion, and  a  general  healthy  action  in  the  part. 
There  is  a  variety  of  circumstances  wherein  this 
agent  is  invaluable.  I  have  often  had  a  pain  in  my 
head  entirely  relieved  by  a  gentle  combing  with  a 
coarse  comb.  Of  course  the  effect  of  this,  or  any 
other  remedy,  will  be  modified  by  the  cause  of  the 
pain.  At  almost  every  step  we  take  in  life  we  may 
learn  something  useful  from  nature's  teaching,  if  we 
are  not  too  wise  already. 

Look  at  that  sagacious  animal  the  dog.  Nature 
has  taught  him  how  to  cure  a  sore,  and  I  question 
whether  any  surgeon  can  better  it.  Two  very  es- 
sential applications  he  makes  every  day — a  cleans- 
ing and  a  stimulating  one.  Through  the  use  of  his 
tongue,  he  gets  the  poultice  and  the  friction,  and 


FRICTION*  85 


thus  stimulates  the  part  to  a  healthy  action.  And 
he  sets  us  another  example ;  when  he  gets  sick,  he  is 
very  temperate ;  and  when  he  is  well,  he  rarely  eats 
enough  to  give  him  the  dyspepsia,  or  make  him 
nervous. 

The  farmer  knows  very  well  that  the  curry-comb 
not  only  improves  the  appearance  of  his  horse,  but 
also  his  health.  Oh,  that  men  were  wise  enough  to 
treat  themselves  as  well  as  they  do  their  beasts. 


ERRORS,  FROM  THE  CRADLE  TO  THE 
GRAVE. 

As  our  comfort,  usefulness,  and  destiny,  not  un- 
frequently  depend  upon  minor  incidents  of  every-day 
life,  which  attract  little  or  no  attention,  I  propose  to 
notice  certain  forms  of  error,  with  which  every  one 
is  familiar,  and  some  of  which  usually  escape  the 
attention  of  writers,  being  considered,  perhaps,  too 
trivial  to  deserve  their  notice,  or  too  common  to  need 
a  rebuke.  But,  no  matter  how  common  the  error, 
the  more  so,  the  worse — nor  how  trifling  its  frequent 
occurrence  may  make  it  appear.  If  it  is  in  any 
way,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  prejudicial  to  the 
physical  and  mental  prosperity  of  the  communit}7,  it 
ought  to  be  clearly  pointed  out,  and  its  pernicious 
tendency  revealed.  At  least  such  is  the  judgment 
of  the  writer,  and  it  is  presumed  that  such  is  the 
opinion  of  the  reader. 

A    HINT    TO    MOTHERS. 

"Just  as  the  twig  is  bent,  the  tree's  inclined." 

There  is  a  volume  of  truth  in  this  saying,  physi- 
cally, mentally,  and  morally.  If  the  great  map  of 
influence  could  be  faithfully  and  intelligibly  drawn 
out,  with  its  bright  and  dark  spots  to  represent  the 
good  and  bad  effects  of  example,  and  so  hung  up  to 
view  that  a  single  glance  should  reveal  the  whole, 
it  would  perfectly  astonish  the  world. 

Although  generally   considered  only  in  a  mental 


ERRORS.  87 


and  moral  sense,  yet  the  tottering  cripples  in  our 
streets,  and  the  deformed  and  helpless  sufferers  in  their 
retirement,  are  too  often  so  many  witnesses  to  the 
disastrous  folly  of  disregarding  the  principle  em- 
braced in  the  above  adage. 

HANDLING  INFANTS  ROUGHLY. 

It  will  be  remembered,  that  just  as  the  tender  twig 
is  bent,  the  tree  is  inclined.  Surely  no  epithet  is 
more  applicable  to  the  infant  than  this.  The  little 
creature  is  so  tender  a  twig,  that  careful  handling 
will  be  needful,  to  rear  a  vigorous  and  healthy  plant. 
But  let  us  notice  some  of  the  common,  every-day  er- 
rors which  contradict  this  sentiment. 

Some  people  seem  to  think  that  as  soon  as  a  child 
is  born,  the  pounding,  tossing,  tumbling  process 
ought  to  commence,  and  hence  the  helpless,  speechless 
one,  hardly  has  a  chance  to  breathe  in  peace,  from 
sun-rise  till  midnight.  If  the  frail  creature,  from  any 
cause  whatever,  presumes  to  cry,  it  is  tossed  about 
in  the  nurse's  arms,  or  on  the  mother's  lap,  as  though 
its  very  brains  were  made  of  india-rubber.  If  it  is 
playful,  and  inclined  to  laugh,  some  little  sister  or 
cousin,  is  ready  to  snatch  it  up,  and  shake  it,  and 
tickle  it,  until  it  almost  has  convulsions. 

Perhaps  some  of  my  readers  may  say,  this  is  far- 
fetched, or  destitute  of  practical  importance.  But 
unfortunately  this  happens  to  be  a  mistake.  The 
writer  has  more  than  once  been  put  in  pain  by  wit- 
nessing such  a  process.  It  may  seem  very  trifling  to 
those  who  know  little,  and  care  less,  about  the  con- 
dition of  the  organs  and  tissues  of  infants. 


88  ERRORS. 


Again,  if  the  little  one  manifests  a  disposition  to 
tale  a  short  nap,  it  must  be  thrashed  about  in  the 
old  cradle,  until  it  is  sufficiently  stunned  to  secure  an 
hour's  sleep.  And  so,  because  it  does  not  actually 
speak  right  out,  and  say,  Not  quite  so  hard,  it  must  be 
pounded  up  and  down  for  crying,  thrashed  about  for 
being  sleepy,  and  tumbled  right  and  left  for  waking 
up;  while  some  thoughtless  intruder  shouts  in  its  sen- 
sitive ears,  with  all  the  sharpness  and  shrillness  of 
seven  brass  trumpets,  and  as  many  "  Ram's  Horns," 
as  though  the  perfect  development  of  the  auditory 
apparatus  all  depends  upon  the  tremendous  concus- 
sion and  vibration  of  an  atmosphere  of  Bedlam 
around' its  ears. 

Now  I  need  not  say  that  all  such  treatment  is  bad 
enough  !  Every  body  knows  it,  or  ought  to  know  it, 
who  is  old  enough  to  have  the  charge  of  infants. 
Every  body  also  ought  to  know  better  than  to  suffer 
such  inconsistencies  to  be  perpetrated. 

If  we  consider  for  a  moment  how  very  frail 
and  helpless  these  little  ones  are — how  delicate 
all  their  organs  and  tissues — how  soft  and  limber 
their  bones — how  weak  and  imperfect  their  muscles 
— how  tender  and  irritable  their  skin — how  slender 
and  sensitive  their  nerves — how  unaccustomed  to 
hard  usage  their  bodies,  and  how  unable  to  make 
known  their  sensations ;  it  will  appear  that  common 
sense  ought  to  teach  those  who  have  the  charge  of 
infants,  to  treat  them  at  least  as  well  as  instinct 
teaches  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forests  to  treat  their 
offspring.  Let  a  man  treat  a  young  cub  as  roughly, 
and  see  if  old  Bruin  does  not  pretty  effectually  re- 


ERRORS. 


mind  him  of  his  harshness.  Let  no  one  suppose  that 
I  make  these  remarks  merely  to  amuse  the  reader  or 
the  writer.  They  are  too  applicable  to  those  who 
are  not  aware  of  their  roughness  in  handling  and 
managing  helpless  ones.  It  is  a  fact  that  cannot  be 
denied,  that  some  do  not  treat  these  tender  specimens 
of  humanity  as  well  as  they  treat  their  dogs  !  If 
called  upon,  of  course,  we  shall  have  to  prove  it,  for 
no  body  will  plead  guilty. 


Treatment  of  Dogs,  Kittens,  and  Children. 
INFANTILE    EXPOSURE. 

Another  error,  and  one  which  is  frequently  fatal, 
may  be  noticed,  namely,  the  habit  of  carrying  infants 
out  door  during  the  winter.  If  I  had  kept  a  list  of 
all  the  cases  of  inflammation  of  the  lungs  which  could 


90  ERRORS. 


be  clearly  traced  to  such  imprudence,  which  has 
come  within  the  scope  of  my  limited  experience,  a 
large  proportion  of  which  proved  fatal ;  it  would 
probably  be  such  an  astounding  warning,  as  many 
mothers  are  not  prepared  to  hear. 

This  disease,  though  bad  enough  at  any  age,  is 
more  destructive  to  infants  than  to  others.  Hence 
the  importance  of  avoiding  sudden  changes  of  tem- 
perature. True,  they  need  good  air  as  much  as  good 
milk.  But  they  must  not  be  carried  out  at  an  im- 
proper season  to  get  it.  Carry  them  from  one  room 
to  another,  and  let  each  be  thoroughly  ventilated 
while  they  are  absent,  if  a  suitable  and  safe  provi- 
sion is  not  made  for  perpetual  ventilation,  which 
ought  to  be  the  very  first  thing  attended  to.  (See 
Ventilation.) 

But,  says  one,  if  they  are  well  protected  with  suita- 
ble clothing,  is  it  not  safe  to  carry  them  out  ?  I  answer, 
No  /  With  such  a  protection  it  is  true  that  they 
stand  a  better  chance  to  escape  harm.  But  remem- 
ber that  they  must  breathe  I  And,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, they  draw  into  their  sensitive  lungs  such 
an  atmosphere  as  many  a  man  at  thirty  cannot 
stand  with  impunity  in  our  climate.  Now,  let  others 
say  and  do  what  they  will,  keep  them  in  from  the 
first  of  November  to  the  first  of  May  ! 

But  you  may  say,  that  Mrs.  A  and  Mrs.  B  carry 
out  their  babies  in  winter,  and  still  they  live.  That 
may  be :  and  so  may  a  man  fall  from  a  great  height 
upon  a  naked  rock,  and  not  break  his  neck.  But 
who  would  like  to  run  the  risk  ? 

Still  you  may  ask,  Can  I  not  safely  carry  out  my 


ERRORS.  91 

infant  in  a  very  pleasant  day  ?  Alas  !  these  are  the 
very  days  when  the  mischief  is  done !  Who  will  be 
foolish  enough  to  set  their  babies  out  to  play  on  a 
snow-bank,  to  get  fresh  air  in  a  hail  storm !  Keep 
them  in  a  comfortable,  well- ventilated  room,  if  you 
wish  to  keep  them  out  of  the  tomb.  Let  the  older 
ones  run  out  as  much  as  they  will. 

As  every  season  has  its  errors,  we  must  briefly 
notice  a  foolish  practice  which  occurs  a  few  months 
later  in  life.  It  is  an  error  which  many  think  too 
trivial  to  be  worthy  of  their  attention.  But  this  only 
makes  the  warning  so  much  the  more  important,  for, 
with  a  lively  sense  of  danger,  caution  seems  unne- 
cessary. 

PREMATURE   WALKIXG. 

Some  mothers,  aye,  and  fathers  too,  seem  to  feel 
proud  of  having  their  children  learn  to  walk  very 
young,  and  take  special  pains  to  encourage  them 
to  acquire  the  art,  as  though  they  would  have  their 
children  run  through  this  world  in  a  hurry,  and  the 
quicker  they  get  through  the  better.  At  any  rate 
they  do  sometimes  get  through  all  the  sooner  for 
it. 

Let  me  call  the  attention  of  those  most  interested, 
to  the  structure  of  a  particular  tissue  of  the  body, 
namely,  the  bones.  It  is  well  known  that  they  form 
the  principal  frame-work,  and  preserve  the  general 
conformation  of  the  body.  That  they  not  only  serve 
to  protect  important  organs,  such  as  the  brain,  heart, 
lungs,  &c.,  but  also  form  a  series  of  levers  upon 
which  the  muscles  act  in  producing  locomotion. 


ERRORS. 


This  frame-work  of  the  body,  it  must  be  remembered, 
presents  a  very  different  consistence  at  different 
periods.  For  instance,  in  early  life,  that  is,  before 
birth,  the  bones  are  all  in  a  gelatinous  state ;  becom- 
ing in  due  time  cartilaginous,  or  more  firm,  and 
eventually  osseous.  But  this  is  a  gradual  process, 
as  some  of  the  bones  do  not  become  hard  until  about 
the  twentieth  year,  and  not  one  in  the  body  is  as  firm 
in  childhood  as  in  after  life. 

Now  if  the  bones  be  required  to  sustain  the  weight 
of  the  body  (which  is  the  case  in  the  upright  posi- 
tion) before  they  have  received  sufficient  strength 
to  prevent  yielding  under  the  pressure  to  which  they 
are  subjected,  it  is  evident  that  they  are  liable  to  be- 
come more  or  less  injured.  And  herein  lies  the  dan- 
ger of  inducing  the  child  to  outrun  nature.  The 
injury  more  frequently  falls  upon  the  spine  than  upon 
any  other  part,  as  these  bones  are  soft  and  spongy. 

Should  any  one  consider  this  too  trifling  a  matter 
to  deserve  their  attention,  I  can  only  add,  a  crooked 
back  for  life  might  slightly  disturb  their  incredulity. 
No  doubt  the  germs  of  spinal  disease  do  sometimes 
thus  begin  to  sprout.  Nature  intended  that  children 
should  creep  before  they  walk,  and  we  had  better 
let  her  proceed  in  her  own  way.  Why  not  ?  We 
used  to  creep  when  we  were  babies.  And  now 
when  we  put  our  hands  upon  our  backs,  and  find 
that  they  are  tolerably  sound,  let  us  rejoice  and  thank 
our  wise  mothers  that  they  did  not  set  us  to  running 
too  soon ! 

Although  I  would  not  have  them  outrun  nature, 
yet  the  reader  is  aware  that  I  am  an  advocate  for 


ERRORS.  93 


exercise,  and  would  therefore  have  the  little  ones,  as 
soon  as  strength  will  permit,  outrun  all  the  deer  in 
the  forest  if  they  can,  and  hope  their  good  mothers 
will  encourage  them  to  do  so;  but  they  will  suf- 
fer me  to  suggest  the  propriety  of  first  protecting 
their  children's  feet  with  a  pair  of  anti-corn-shoes  ! 
Never  mind  the  fashion.  Let  them  dare  to  be  seen 
with  sound  toes,  vulgar  and  unfashionable  as  it  may 
be.  Few  at  the  present  day  can  commit  an  error 
in  this  department  without  going  against  light,  and 
knowledge,  and  sensation. 

ERRORS    IN    SCHOOL. 

Some  people,  being  a  little  "more  nice  than  wise," 
would  have  us  believe  that  children  should  have 
nothing  but  a  three-legged  stool  to  sit  upon  in  school, 
lest  with  a  better  provision  the  occupants  become 
crooked.  But  I  pity  the  children  who  become  half 
so  crooked,  as  is  the  theory  which  is  thus  put  forth 
to  keep  them  straight.  And  I  pity  the  bones,  and  ten- 
dons, and  cartilages,  and  muscles  which  must  be  kept 
everlastingly  on  the  stretch  to  maintain  an  equili- 
brium. And  I  pity  still  more,  the  stupidity  of  those 
who  know  no  better,  than  to  adopt  such  a  ridiculous 
theory.  This  is  the  very  way  to  make  crooked 
spines,  and  flat  chests.  It  is  quite  hard  enough  to  sit 
six  hours  a  day  in  school  and  attend  to  studies,  without 
being  put  in  a  strait-jacket.  Parents  ought  to  be 
aware  of  this,  and  teachers  too,  when  they  complain 
of  a  sermon  which  happens  to  be  fifteen  minutes 
longer  than  ordinary  discourses,  while  they  have 
cushioned  seats  to  sit  on,  and  backs,  and  fronts,  to 


94  ERRORS. 


support  them,  and  a  preacher's  eloquence  to  enter- 
tain them.  This  extra  fatigue  is  far  from  being 
beneficial  to  the  child. 

Now  to  suppose  that  a  child  can  sit  all  day  as 
safely,  to  say  nothing  about  comfort,  upon  a  seat 
without  any  apparatus  for  extra  support,  as 
upon  a  chair  with  arms  and  back,  is  just  as  foolish 
and  unphilosophical,  as  to  say  that  a  man  can  sit 
just  as  well  upon  a  chair  with  one  leg,  as  if  it  had 
four,  and  lie  with  as  little  effort  on  the  top  of  a  rail 
as  on  a  feather  bed. 

But  I  cannot  stop  to  notice  all  the  errors  which  are 
congregated  together  in  this  imperfect  world,  nor 
even  many  which  often  prevail  in  the  school-room, 
where  the  bones  are  taught  to  leave  their  proper  place, 
and  the  child  is  taught  to  believe,  that  to  sit  upon  the 
end  of  a  block  will  make  of  it  the  most  graceful 
creature  in  creation  !  To  say  nothing  about  the 
teaching,  give  children  good  seats,  good  air,  suitable 
light,  and  plenty  of  exercise 

NEVER    DECEIVE    A    CHILD. 

Every  one  knows  that  a  physician  can  succeed  far 
better  with  a  patient  who  has  confidence  in  him,  than 
if  this  characteristic  be  wanting.  So  can  any  one  un- 
der all  circumstances.  But  if  a  child  cannot  confide 
in  his  parents,  whom  can  he  believe — whom  can  he 
trust  ?  Suppose  you  tell  your  children,  when  about 
to  give  them  medicine,  that  it  has  no  bad  taste,  while 
it  is  as  bitter  as  aloes,  or  as  nauseous  as  castor  oil,  and 
you  know  it.  Will  they  believe  you  the  next  time 
even  if  you  tell  the  truth  ?  Not  at  all.  But,  as  this 


ERRORS.  95 


habit  has  less  to  do  with  health  than  morals,  i  will 
direct  the  reader's  attention  to  the  subject  of 

FRIGHTS. 

It  is  common  for  some  parents  to  tell  their  children 
when  perhaps  a  little  refractory,  that  if  they  do  not 
obey,  or  do  this,  or  do  that,  they  will  send  for  the 
doctor  !  And  so  the  poor  doctor  has  to  be  a  bug-bear 
for  the  whole  neighborhood,  and  the  children  learn 
to  look  upon  him  as  a  dangerous  member  of  com- 
munity. 

A  very  respectable  physician  remarked  to  me  a 
short  time  since,  that  he  was  recently  called  to  see  a 
little  patient  who  was  naturally  nervous  and  excita- 
ble, with  whom  this  foolish  and  shameful  course  had 
been  taken.  When  the  little  sufferer  found  that  the 
doctor  must  come  in  earnest,  and  expecting  to  be  al- 
most cut  into  inch  pieces,  and  bled  all  but  to 
death,  the  agony  of  mind  was  horrible,  far  worse 
than  the  disease  ;  and  in  this  excited  state,  with  ev- 
ery nerve  put  to  the  utmost  stretch,  the  muscular  sys- 
tem in  a  perfect  tremor,  and  every  evil  imagination 
conceivable  concentrated  in  the  brain,  as  the  doctor 
rang  the  bell  and  entered  the  house,  the  little  unhap- 
py patient  fell  flat  on  the  floor  in  convulsions  ;  and  it 
would  not  have  been  very  remarkable  if,  in  such  an 
excited  state,  it  had  fallen  dead ! 

Many  affecting  cases,  illustrating  not  only  the  fol- 
ly, but  the  fatal  consequences  of  frights,  might  be 
presented,  but  a  few  will  suffice. 
5 


ERRORS. 


"  CONSEQUENCES    OF    FRIGHTENING    CHILDREN." 

*  A  school-mistress,  for  some  trifling  offence,  most 
foolishly  put  a  child  in  a  dark  cellar  for  an  hour. 
The  child  was  terrified  and  cried  bitterly.  Upon  re- 
turning to  her  parents  in  the  evening,  she  burst  into 
tears  and  begged  that  she  might  not  be  put  into  the 
cellar.  The  parents  thought  this  extremely  odd,  and 
assured  her  there  was  no  danger  of  their  being 
guilty  of  so  great  an  act  of  cruelty,  but  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  pacify  her,  and  when  put  to  bed  she  passed  a 
restless  night.  On  the  following  day  she  had  a  fever, 
during  which  she  frequently  exclaimed,  *  Do  not  put 
me  in  the  cellar !'  The  fourth  day  after,  she  was 
taken  to  Sir  Astley  Cooper,  in  a  high  state  of  fever, 
with  delirium,  frequently  muttering,  *  Pray,  don't  put 
me  in  the  cellar.*  When  Sir  Astley  inquired  the 
reason,  he  found  that  the  parents  had  learnt  the  pun- 
ishment to  which  she  had  been  subjected.  He  or- 
dered what  was  likely  to  relieve  her ;  but  she  died  in 
a  week  after  this  unfeeling  conduct." 

"  Another  case  from  the  same  authority  may  be 
here  cited.  It  is  the  case  of  a  child  ten  years  of  age, 
who  wanted  to  write  her  exercise  ;  and,  to  scrape  her 
slate  pencil,  went  into  the  school  in  the  dark  to  fetch 
her  knife,  when  one  of  her  school -fellows  burst  from 
behind  the  door  to  frighten  her  ;  she  was  much  ter- 
rified, and  her  head  ached.  On  the  following  day 
she  became  deaf ;  and,  on  the  next,  so  much  so  as 
not  to  hear  the  loudest  talking.  Sir  Astley  saw  her 
three  months  after  this  had  happened,  and  she  con- 
tinued in  the  same  deplorable  state  of  deafness." 
—{Glasgow  Constitutional.) 


ERRORS.  97 


"  The  following  cause  of  death  was  reported  at  the 
interment  office  this  morning.  It  appears  that  some 
days  ago,  a  boy,  named  Joseph  Kennedy,  six  years 
of  age,  while  sitting  in  the  kitchen  at  home,  received 
a  severe  shock  of  fright  from  a  cat,  which  had  been 
shut  out,  suddenly  leaping  through  a  pane  of  glass 
into  the  room,  shivering  the  glass.  The  boy  imme- 
diately sickened  and  died,  and,  as  the  physician  pro- 
nounced, solely  from  the  effects  of  the  shock." — (Bos- 
ton Journal.) 

WATCH    THE   TONGUE. 

The  habit  of  talking  to  children  about  witches, 
ghosts,  and  hobgoblins,  is  fortunately  less  common 
than  it  was  in  the  days  of  yore.  I  well  remember 
the  time  when  every  quack  of  a  duck,  and  squall  of 
a  goose,  and  scream  of  a  cat,  and  spring  of  a  toad, 
and  start  of  a  leaf  after  dark,  was  in  obedience  to 
the  will  of  a  witch  ! 

These  witches  and  ghosts,  which  used  to  be  so  plen- 
ty in  New  England,  (not  that  I  wish  to  say  aught 
against  my  own  blessed  native  land,  for  I  would  have 
been  born  no  where  else,  witches  or  no  witches,) 
were  generally  manufactured  at  the  fire-side  during 
the  long  winter  evenings,  when  the  good  mothers 
(and  of  course  every  rnati  had  a  good  mother  in  those 
days,  if  he  had  any,)  were  in  the  habit  of  meeting 
together,  not  forgetting  their  "  knitting  work,"  to  tell 
love-stories,  war-stories,  and  witch-stories  ;  while  the 
children  who  were  too  young  to  know  anything,  but 
just  old  enough  to  remember  as  many  foolish  sto- 
ries as  any  thoughtless  mother  or  grandmother  could 


98  ERRORS. 


tell,  were  permitted  to  swallow  every  marvellous 
tale. 

The  remarkable  tenacity  with  which  impressions 
made  in  early  life  cling  to  the  memory,  no  matter 
how  absurd,  is  worthy  of  special  notice.  It  speaks 
volumes  in  favor  of  a  judicious  influence  at  that  pe- 
riod. Many  have  been  made  miserable,  half  their 
days,  through  the  agency  of  foolish  stories.  True, 
much  may  depend  upon  the  natural  temperament  of 
the  individual,  as  to  the  extent  of  the  influence.  Yet 
let  it  be  remembered,  that  an  impression  may  be 
made  in  a  moment,  which  an  age  can  hardly  erase  ! 

FOOLISH    EXPOSURE. 

I  beg  leave  to  notice  an  error  in  the  management 
of  children,  to  which,  fortunately  for  the  rising  gen- 
eration, those  who  live  in  the  country  are  less  liable 
than  a  certain  class  who  reside  in  town.  But  still 
even  those  who  reside  in  rural  districts  may  possibly 
need  a  hint. 


ERRORS. 


99 


Hardening  the  Constitution. 


See  a  thoughtless  mother  leading  her  darling  boy 
up  and  down  Broadway  in  a  cold  winter's  day,  with 
his  legs  entirely  bare  below  his  knees,  except  a  pair 
of"  Tom  Thumb"  stockings  which  have  dared  to  creep 
a  little  above  the  tops  of  his  shoes,  while  she  has  a 
superabundance  of  silk,  cotton,  flannel,  and  fur.  The 
sight  of  the  shivering  little  mortal,  as  the  snow-flakes 
fall  thick  and  fast  around  him,  is  enough  to  bring  up, 
all  standing,  every  goose-pimple  on  a  man's  body,  and 
nearly  sufficient  to  tempt  a  spectator  to  look  about 
for  a  Police  Officer  for  the  mother,  and  a  doctor  for- 
the  child. 

And  for  what  is  all  this  display  of  the  boy's  pretty 
white  skin  ? 


100  ERRORS. 


Professedly  to  "  harden  him  /"  Nonsense.  Worse 
than  nonsense  ! 

Harden  him  !  More  likely  to  kill  him  !  Alas  !  it 
hardens  the  mother,  more  than  it  hardens  the  child, 
and  because  he  does  not  actually  drop  down  dead  in 
the  street,  she  fancies  that  nothing  can  hardly  kill  her 
son  ! 

I  solemnly  declare — let  all  hear  it  who  will,  and  all 
shut,  their  ears  who  can — that  it  is  treating  a  child 
worse  than  a  brute  ! 

Who  takes  the  fleece  from  the  tender  lamb  in  win- 
ter, and  turns  it  out  upon  the  cold  mountains  to  har- 
den it  ?  True,  there  is  a  time  when  it  can  be  safely 
taken,  yea,  advantageously  to  the  sheep,  as  well  as  to 
the  shepherd.  Thanks  to  a  bountiful  Providence  for 
this.  So  there  is  a  time  when  you  cannot  safely  with- 
hold it  from  these  tender  lambs  for  whom  their  Cre- 
ator has  provided  no  such  covering,  as  He  expects 
you  to  be  a  little  wiser  than  a  sheep.  Therefore  re- 
member that  every  time  you  take  your  boy  out  to 
show  his  bare  legs  in  a  cold  day,  you  stand  a  better 
chance  of  taking  a  long  stitch  in  his  winding-sheet, 
and  he  of  taking  a  long  step  toward  the  graveyard, 
than  of  improving  his  health  or  constitution ! 

The  same  remarks  will  apply  with  equal  proprie- 
ty to  every  variety  of  semi-''  model-artist"  exhibition, 
of  bare  legs,  arms,  necks,  and  shoulders,  in  cold 
weather. 

The  child  who  can  outlive  such  barbarity,  may  be 
thankful  for  a  constitution  which  can  thus  resist  the 
morbific  influences  of  all  the  shocks  of  an  unstable 
climate,  and  all  the  follies  of  an  imprudent  mother  j 


ERRORS.  101 

for  only  such  as  are  already  hardened,  and  hardly 
they,  can  expect  to  escape  with  impunity. 

True,  any  one  accustomed  to  such  exposures  can 
better  endure  them  than  those  who  are  not.  But 
this  is  far  from  proving  that  any  are  benefitted  by 
being  even  habitually  unprotected.  It  is  undoubted- 
ly true  that  a  man  will  stand  the  lash  all  the  better 
for  previously  having  had  a  dozen  floggings  !  This 
is  truly  a  hardening  process,  both  externally  and  in- 
ternally. But  most  men,  I  apprehend,  would  not  pre- 
fer at  each  experiment,  a  bare  back,  for  the  sake  of  a 
hardening  benefit- 
Now,  I  would  ask  those  who  advocate  the  foolish 
doctrine  that  such  exposures  give  vigor  to  the  consti- 
tution, why  those  poor  miserable  objects  of  pity,  who 
shiver  around  the  corners  of  our  streets,  with  chat- 
tering teeth  and  rickety  bodies,  are  not  hardened  into 
good  healthy  constitutions  ?  One  would  suppose  that 
many  are  sufficiently  accustomed  to  their  privations, 
to  receive  all  the  benefit  that  habit  can  confer. 

But  for  such  as  are  still  skeptical,  I  can  refer  them 
to  more  convincing  proof  of  the  folly  and  danger  of 
this  ridiculous  custom  than  all  the  arguments  which 
the  writer  can  possibly  present. 

Let  all  the  advocates  for  this  foolish  fashion,  tho- 
roughly try  its  effects  on  their  own  persons.  Just 
sleep  with  your  feet  out  of  bed  from  November  till 
April,  and  if  this  does  not  harden  you  enough,  thrust 
them  into  a  snowbank  ! 

It  is  sometimes  said  that  a  child  does  not  need  its 
arms  covered  in  cold  weather,  any  more  than  a  man 
does  his  face.  But  this  is  another  error,  for  such  is 


102  ERRORS. 


not  the  fact.  The  face  has  an  extra  supply  of  blood- 
vessels for  the  very  purpose  of  keeping  it  warm. 
Hence  it  needs  no  covering,  and  should  not  be  mask- 
ed ;  for  one's  face,  is  another's  guide-board. 

FRUITS    OF    FASHION. 

Another  error  may  be  noticed  which  generally  oc- 
curs among  those  of  riper  years,  and  one  perhaps  not 
quite  as  chargeable  to  mothers  as  the  last,  though 
they  are  often  far  from  being  faultless.  A  young  lady 
goes  to  a  party,  or  a  ball — spends  several  hours  in  ac- 
tive physical  exercise,  in  a  close  atmosphere  of  70  ° ; 
and  in  a  state  of  unusual  perspiration  leaves  the 
apartment  to  ride  some  distance  in  a  temperature 
possibly  down  to  zero.  Her  apparel  is  almost  any 
thing  but  what  it  should  be.  Possibly  she  may 
throw  a  light  cloak  around  her,  and  perhaps  not. 
The  balance  of  her  clothing  might  make  a  respecta- 
ble shadow  in  dog-days.  She  has  on  thin  pumps  and 
gauze  stockings,  and,  on  reaching  home,  jumps  into 
bed,  carrying  with  her  a  pair  of  miniature  icebergs, 
which,  through  the  remainder  of  the  night,  dare  not 
come  in  contact  for  fear  of  losing  their  individuality. 

The  next  day,  she  gets  up  and  says,  "  Mother,  I 
don't  feel  very  well."  The  second  day,  a  slight  cough 
and  increased  indisposition  is  present.  The  third  day. 
a  doctor  is  sent  for,  who  examines  the  case,  and  per- 
haps dare  not  tell  what  he  fears.  The  fourth  week, 
(perhaps  sooner,)  a  consulting  physician  is  called — the 
patient  is  hurried  off  to  a  mild  clime  to  save  her  life, 
and  hurries  back  to  die  at  home. 

I  love  to  think  of  the  time  when  it  did  not  make 


ERRORS.  103 


people  blush  to  be  comfortable — when  every  on* 
thought  more  of  health  and  life,  than  of  trash  and 
fashion.  I  love  to  call  to  mind  those  long  winter 
evenings  which  I  so  much  enjoyed  by  the  side  of  my 
mother,  while  she  manufactured  those  good,  long, 
warm  stockings,  and  flannel  garments,  which  she, 
and  all  other  sensible  women,  then  thought  it  no  dis- 
grace to  wear. 

But,  alas  !  how  many  now  are  not  only  strangers 
to  health,  but  wretched  in  mind,  lest  the  form  and 
color  of  the  flax  and  tow  with  which  they  happen  to 
be  covered,  pass  an  unfavorable  examination  before 
the  eyes  of  the  fashionable  critic.  No  wonder  that 
scrofula  and  consumption  stalk  abroad,  and  threaten 
the  extinction  of  our  race  !  Fashion  is  the  Under- 
taker's right-hand  man — the  grave-digger's  assistant 
— and  the  world's  curse. 

How  many  children  who  now  (so  far  so  good 
health  and  symmetrical  development  are  concerned) 
are  little  better  than  wooden  dolls  with  glass  eyes, 
sheep-skin  lungs,  and  bonnyclabber  brains,  might  be- 
come perfect  models,  if  their  imperfect  mothers  did 
not,  by  precept  and  example,  interfere.  How  many 
adults,  also,  might  increase  the  number  of  their  days 
and  their  joys,  with  half  the  pains  they  take  to  dimin- 
ish them. 

THREE-FOLD    ERROR. 

Some  years  ago,  an  old  gentleman  in  the  city  of 
New-York,  before  his  death,  bequeathed  the  sum  of 
forty  thousand  dollars  to  his  grandson,  who,  on  arri- 
ving at  lawful  age,  took  possession  of  his  inheritance, 
5* 


1 04  ERRORS. 


with  no  provisory  check  to  restrain  prodigality,  and 
very  soon  exemplified  the  folly  of  his  grandfather  in 
thus  leaving  his  fortune  to  be  squandered  in  a  few 
short  days,  to  the  utter  ruin  of  him  whom  he  intend- 
ed to  benefit.  The  writer  became  acquainted  with 
this  young  man  a  little  before  he  was  twenty-one. 
He  lost  his  father  prior  to  the  death  of  his  grandfather. 
His  widowed  mother  had  evidently  been  too  indul- 
gent for  his  good,  or  her  own  happiness.  The  "  twig" 
had  been  neglected  until  it  had  become  too  stubborn 
to  yield  to  her  entreaties,  or  her  tears.  The  groggery, 
the  bowling-saloon,  the  gaming-table,  and  other  kin- 
dred places,  now  presented  greater  attractions  than 
a  mother's  love.  But  his  race  was  short.  "  Delirium 
Tremens"  hurried  him  away— the  grave-yard  hid 
him  from  the  gaze  of  mortals — and  to  the  eternal 
world  his  poor  mother  soon  followed  her  ruined  son  ! 
Here  we  see  combined  in  one  disastrous  result,  the 
errors  of  three  generations. 

COMPOUND    ERROR. 

Thirty  years  ago,  Messrs.  A,  B,  C,  and  D,  from 
Vermont,  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and  Con- 
necticut, came  to  this  city,  to  get  rich.  Well,  what 
had  they  in  their  favor  towards  gaining  their  object  ? 
Had  they  money  ? 

No.     That  was  the  very  thing  they  came  to  get. 

Had  they  a  good  knowledge  of  city  customs, 
and  the  manner  of  doing  a  city  business  ? 

No.  They  came  from  the  green  valleys,  and  the 
rugged  hills,  and  the  mountain  tops  of  New  Eng- 
land. 


ERRORS.  105 

Had  they  influential  friends? 

IN'o ;  they  left  their  friends  behind,  to  make  such 
acquaintances  here  as  circumstances  would  permit. 

Had  they  extraordinary  gifts  ? 

Xot  unless  good  constitutions,  good  common  sense, 
good  principles,  good  habits,  and  good  wives,  were 
extra  gifts.  These  were  all  the  extra  gifts  they  had, 
and  all  they  needed. 

Well,  did  they  succeed  ? 

Yes,  honorably  and  very  successfully  did  they  fol- 
low their  several  callings,  and  far  exceeded  their 
expectations.  And  now,  a  very  important  question 
may  be  asked.  Having  been  wise  for  themselves 
are  they  now  wise  for  their  children?  We  have 
adniired  their  wisdom  in  adopting  means  to  ends  ; 
praised  their  perseverance  and  self-denial,  and  we 
love  and  respect  them  for  their  honesty,  industry, 
sobriety,  and  frugality.  But  now  we  look  for  wis- 
dom, and  behold  folly ! 

Those  successful  merchants  who  first  commenced 
business  with  a  small  capital  in  front, though  with  a 
goodly  treasure  in  the  rear,  when  fashion  stored  in 
a  modest  two-story  building,  goods,  wares,  and  mer- 
chandise ;  wives,  babies,  clerks,  and  friends  ;  bread, 
ham,  eggs,  butter  and  cider ;  and  who  now  spread 
out  their  wealth  around  the  parks  in  glittering 
palaces  and  splendid  equipage,  what  do  they  do  to 
encourage  their  sons  to  pattern  after  their  successful 
fathers  ? 

Is  not  the  millionaire  conscious  that  he  enjoyed 
life  then  better  than  now  ?  Does  he  strive  to  im- 
press this  upon  his  only  son?  He  ought  to  say, 


106  ERRORS. 


Come,  my  son,  you  must  live  a  stirring  life,  if  you 
intend  to  preserve  your  health,  and  prolong  your 
days.  You  must  drive  away  at  something  honor- 
able and  profitable,  and  be  at  it  early  in  the  morning, 
or  that  industrious  young  mechanic  over  the  way,  who 
has  hardly  two-and-sixpence  capital,  will  be  far  more 
likely  than  you,  to  occupy  these  premises  shortly 
after  I  am  gone  !  Yes,  you  must  do  as  your  father 
has  done  before  you,  if  you  ever  expect  to  accom- 
plish any  thing  of  importance.  To  be  sure  I  have 
laid  up  a  little  money,  but  that  has  not  learned 
you  how  to  make  any,  nor  how  to  keep  it,  unless  you 
have  learned  to  do,  as  1  have  done.  I  would  rather 
see  you  out  early  in  the  morning  making  "  wooden 
nutmegs"  as  I  use  to  do  down  there  in  Connecticut, 
even  if  you  have  to  peddle  them  yourself,  than  find 
you  destroying  your  health  and  reputation  by  idleness 
and  prodigality. 

He  will  also  say,  if  he  is  wise,  Come,  my  daugh- 
ter, look  well  to  your  health,  lest  you  destroy  it  by 
being  up  too  late  at  night,  and  down  too  late  in  the 
morning.  If  the  fingers  of  a  man's  hand  should 
come  forth,  as  in  the  days  of  Belshazzar,  and  write 
upon  the  wall  before  your  eyes,  "  Thou  art  found 
wanting,"  and  for  every  unhealthful  indulgence  thou 
shalt  have  disorder,  disease,  destruction;  you  would 
hardly  have  greater  inducements  for  scrutinizing 
your  habits,  than  you  have  already.  The  vitalizing 
breeze  without  whispers,  Come,  come,  immortal,  and 
I  will  breathe  into  you  the  breath  of  life;  therefore 
beware,  my  daughter,  how  you  tarry  too  long  at  the 
toilet,  lest  you  kill  time  to  keep  pride  alive ;  destroy 


ERRORS.  107 


substance  to  preserve  the  shadow,  and  forfeit  health, 
to  inherit  disease ! 

Neither  set  too  long  at  the  lyre,  but  imitate  the 
songsters  of  the  forest,  for  they  work  as  well  as  sing. 
If  you  would  long  enjoy  the  comforts  which  surround 
you,  be  cautious  and  not  abuse  them.  If  you  would 
tarry  a  little  longer  this  side  the  grave,  remember 
that  the  means  for  preserving  your  health,  lie  at 
your  own  door.  You  hold  them  in  your  own  hand. 
Your  health  and  happiness  are  now  laid  in  the  bal- 
ance, and  it  is  left  for  you  to  turn  the  scale  which 
way  soever  you  will,  and  if  you  would  not  receive 
the  painful  intelligence  from  some  man  of  skill,  that 
you  are  weighed  and  found  wanting,  then  I  beseech 
you  to  listen  in  time,  to  the  advice  of  the  wrhole  me- 
dical world,  and  not  wait  for  action  till  the  hectic 
flush,  the  hacking  cough,  the  frequent  pulse,  the 
sunken  eye,  the  panting  breath,  and  wasting  flesh, 
bespeak  an  early  grave  !  O,  think  not,  my  daughter, 
that  your  father  has  toiled  hard  and  long  to  lay  up, 
a  little  money  with  which  to  hurry  you  to  the  tomb, 
that  he  might  give  you  a  splendid  funeral  before  you 
are  twenty-one ! 

But,  does  this  experienced  father  as  wisely,  and 
as  indefatigably  exert  himself  to  induce  his  chil- 
dren to  pursue  the  path  of  safety,  as  he  did  to  add 
dollar  to  dollar,  and  house  to  house  ?  Of  course 
many  are  wise  and  prudent  in  this  important  matter, 
but  how  is  it  with  others  ?  What  is  the  sequel  ? 


108  ERRORS. 


SAD    MISTAKE. 

He  says,  Well,  I  have  had  a  good  many  hard 
knocks  in  the  world.  Have  often  had  wind  and  tide 
against  me,  friends  and  foes  against  me,  changes, 
times,  and  seasons.  My  struggling  up  the  hill  has 
been  like  the  frog  jumping  out  of  the  well,  and  for 
a  long  time  I  doubted  whether  I  should  ever  reach 
the  top.  With  me  it  has  been  coarse  fare,  hard 
work,  constant  application  to  business,  self-denial, 
and  slow  progress.  Now  I  am  determined  that  my 
children  shall  have  an  easy  life. 

Ah!  yes,  and  you  might  have  added,  an  early 
death  !  Strange  that  you  should  so  soon  forget,  that 
in  your  very  perseverance,  economy  and  toil,  was  not 
only  your  success  in  gaining  wealth,  but  also  in  pro- 
moting happiness,  and  in  preserving  your  health. 
And  if  your  life  was  to  be  lived  over  again,  would 
you  not  take  the  same  course,  would  you  not  prefer 
your  industrious,  frugal  habits  to  those  of  the  indo- 
lent spendthrift  ? 

And  were  you  not  in  reality  as  happy  when  you 
accumulated  the  first  ten  pounds,  as  you  are  now 
with  all  your  estate  ?  Then,  a  stale  crust  tasted 
sweeter  than  a  plum-pudding  now.  Then  a  few 
hours  sleep  were  more  refreshing  than  a  week  of 
dreams  now.  Then  there  was  more  satisfaction  in 
earning  fifty  dollars,  than  in  spending  a  thousand 
now.  Then  it  was  more  delightful  to  walk  a  mile 
in  the  prosecution  of  business,  than  it  is  to  ride  in  a 
coach  and  four  now. 

A  man  often,  if  not  always,  finds  more  comfort  in 
the  acquisition  of  property,  than  in  the  possession. 


ERRORS.  109 


And  he  will  generally  find  that  large  sums  of  money 
not  earned  by  the  possessor,  are  more  frequently  a 
curse  than  a  blessing.  Ask  any  intelligent  physician, 
and  he  will  tell  you  that  wealth  lavished  upon  chil- 
dren, frequently  hurries  them  to  the  grave,  and  not 
unfrequently  proves  the  destruction  of  others.  But 
we  must  notice  the  conclusion  of  the  case  now  under 
consideration. 

Well,  what  does  the  unwise  father,  who  does  not 
train  up  his  son  to  habits  of  industry  and  frugality, 
do  for  him  ?  Pretty  early  he  begins  to  fill  his  pockets 
with  money,  and  his  head  with  vanity.  He  is  will- 
ing that  his  children  should  know  that  he  is  richer 
than  his  neighbors,  and  they  are  pretty  sure  to 
be  told  of  it  even  before  they  can  spell  the  word 
money.  And  lest  the  little  ones  should  not  exactly 
understand  what  it  means  to  have  so  many  dollars 
and  cents,  they  are  told  not  to  associate  with  certain 
children,  because  their  parents  have  to  work  for  a 
living  !  Horrible  of  course  ! 

Said  a  little  urchin  (hardly  half  way  to  his  teens) 
the  other  day  to  his  school-fellow,  while  they  were 
standing  before  my  window,  "  I  am  richer  than  you ! 
My  father  has  got  more  real  estate  than  your  father 
has.  He  can't  begin." 

Yes,  the  leaven  of  pride,  and  the  yeast  of  riches,  have 
already  begun  to  ferment  in  this  youthful  mind,  and 
will  probably  so  thoroughly  inflate  him  with  self-con- 
ceit, that,  before  he  is  twenty-one,  he  will  be  older  and 
wiser  than  his  father  and  mother  too.  Will  know  how 
to  spend  money  much  faster  than  his  father  ever  knew 
how  to  earn  it ;  can  go  to  more  bowling-saloons, 


110 


ERROKa. 


visit  more  gambling- tables,  drink  more  champagne, 
eat  more  late  suppers,  smoke  more  cigars,  drive  a 
faster  horse,  and  whistle  for  more  dogs.  Now,  with 
all  the  improvements  of  the  day,  he  of  course  ex- 
pects to  reach  the  summit  in  much  less  time  than  his 
good  old  sire  did  in  the  old-fashioned  way  of  crawl- 
ing up  the  hill  by  inches. 

But,  the  great  mistake  is,  he  begins  at  the  summit 
and  of  course  can  run  down  the  hill  faster  than  his 
father  could  run  up,  and  so  finds  the  bottom  in  half 
the  time  that  his  father  found  the  top. 


Going  the  Wrong  Way, 


Before  he  is  twenty-five,  his  health  begins  to  suffer, 
his  appetite  fails,  his  hand  is  tremulous,  his  body  a 
wreck,  and  delirium  tremens  hurries  him  away,  or  he 


ERRORS.  Ill 

comes  to  some  other  untimely  end.  If  the  reader  has 
not  seen  more  than  one  thus  begin  at  the  wrong  end 
of  his  journey,  he  must  have  been  very  little  acquaint- 
ed with  the  inhabitants  of  this,  or  any  other  large 
city  or  town,  for  the  last  twenty-five  years. 

But  this  is  not  all.  One  young  man  who  is  ruined 
for  want  of  wise  training  in  early  life,  perhaps  ruins 
a  dozen  more.  Influence  in  community  is  like  leaven 
in  a  mass  of  dough.  How  often  do  transactions,  ap- 
parently the  most  trifling,  work  out  the  most  terrible 
results. 

POWER    OF    INFLUENCE. 

Let  me  first  give  the  reader  an  illustration  of  the 
power  of  physical  influence. 

That  little  animal,  the  musJirat,  sometimes  digs  a 
small  hole  through  a  man's  mill-dam,  and  lays  the 
foundation  for  disastrous  consequences.  He  has  done 
but  a  very  little,  yet  he  has  done  enough,  and  may  as 
well  stop  ;  for  the  waters  which  lay  stretched  out 
above,  far  and  wide,  will  finish  the  work  of  destruc- 
tion, unless  some  one  is  ready  to  apply  a  few  shovelfuls 
of  gravel  at  the  right  time,  and  in  the  right  place. 

At  first,  no  one  suspects  the  danger.  But  in  a  lit- 
tle time  a  perfect  torrent  is  seen  rushing  through  the 
dam  with  tremendous  force.  The  owner  exclaims, 
My  mill  is  gone  !  and  I  am  undone  ! 

Messengers  are  sent  hither  and  thither,  and  great 
numbers  are  collected  to  mend  the  breach.  But  now 
the  proud  waters  laugh  at  all  the  shovels  and  spades, 
and  brush  and  gravel,  and  plank  and  stones,  and 
beasts  and  men,  which  can  be  brought  into  requisi- 


112  ERRORS. 


tion,  and  sweep  away,  as  so  many  spider's  webs,  every 
obstruction,  and  roll  on  with  fearful  velocity  and 
augmented  power,  and,  with  a  terrible  crash,  carry 
away  in  half  the  time, the  next  mill  below;  and  still 
roll  recklessly  on  with  increasing  strength,  sweeping 
to  destruction  both  mills  and  men. 

Now  a  spectator  standing  upon  some  eminence  phi- 
losophizing upon  the  cause  of  this  terrible  calamity, 
could  hardly  believe,  if  he  had  had  no  experience  in. 
such  matters,  that  a  few  pounds  of  gravel  scratched 
away  a  few  inches  from  its  appropriate  place,  by  the 
tiny  feet  of  the  rat,  was  the  cause  of  the  wide-spread 
desolation. 

Again,  a  man  is  devoted  to  his  cups,  and  his  sons, 
and  grandsons,  and  great-grandsons  follow  his  exam- 
ple, and  thus  generation  after  generation  of  drunk- 
ards curse  the  earth  and  disgrace  themselves.  Hence 
we  perceive  that  physical  and  moral  errors  travel 
down  from  one  generation  to  another,  so  that  when 
and  where  the  influence  will  stop,  no  tongue  can  tell. 
A  man  may  not  only  so  undermine  his  own  mansion 
as  to  be  crushed  in  its  fall,  but  he  may  so  lay  the 
foundation  as  to  make  the  ruin  of  the  future  super- 
structure, also  certain.  But  I  must  notice  the  mis- 
chief and  ruin  of  physical  influence  in  another  de- 
partment. 

ARTIFICIAL  CONFORMATION. 

The  single  custom  of  tight  lacing  has,  either  direct- 
ly or  indirectly,  dug  more  graves,  blasted  more  hopes, 
and  cut  down  more  victims,  than  could  ever  be 
charged  to  guns,  bayonets,  and  bullets,  at  any  field 


ERRORS.  113 

of  battle  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  And  why  does 
this  disastrous  custom  so  prevail  ?  Has  not  the  dan- 
ger been  pointed  out?  Certainly  it  has,  more  than  a 
legion  of  times,  and  by  tongues  so  eloquent  that  1  hard- 
ly dare  speak  above  a  whisper.  Yes,  **  line  upon  line, 
and  precept  upon  precept"  have  been  given.  The 
consequences  have  been  pointed  out,  over  and  over 
again.  Then  I  ask  again  why  does  the  worse  than 
foolish  custom  prevail? 

Now  we  do  not  like  to  be  so  vulgar  as  to  say,  that 
it  is  simply  to  imitate  the  example  of  the  <;  Flat 
Heads"  who  think  that  their  babies  look  most  horri- 
bly, until,  by  continued  compression,  thoy  modify  the 
shape  of  the  cranium  to  their  own  fancy.  Yet  we 
must  confess  our  ignorance  of  any  other  good  rea- 
son. 

It  may  be  said  that  there  has  been  much  improve- 
ment in  dress,  of  late,  and  we  are  very  thankful  if 
there  is  a  single  modification  for  the  better,  and  will 
not  despise  the  day  of  small  things.  But  it  unfortu- 
nately happens,  that  the  axe  is  not  yet  half  laid  at 
the  root  of  the  tree.  Fashion  may  seem  to  repair 
some  of  the  mischief  which  she  has  done,  while  she  be- 
guiles her  unwary  votaries  into  other  destructive 
customs  where  danger  is  little  suspected. 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  grand  object  of  a 
well-developed  chest,  is  to  give  full  play  to  the  lungs. 
In  other  words,  to  give  the  whole  system  the  invigo- 
rating influence  of  a  good  supply  of  pure  air.  We 
condemn  any  and  every  apparatus  which  prevents 
this. 

But  the  lungs  can  be  opened  to  receive  the  life- 


114  ERRORS. 


giving  atmosphere,  only  in  proportion  to  the  limits 
of  their  bony  boundary.  However,  while  they  are 
perfectly  sound,  the  individual  may  get  along  tolera- 
bly well,  and  suspect  no  danger,  whose  chest  is  much 
compressed.  But  let  one  lung  be  destroyed  by  disease, 
which  frequently  happens  in  a  very  short  space  of 
time,  and  then  see  how  it  will  go  with  the  sufferer 
who  has  long  been  guilty  of  the  folly  now  under 
consideration. 

What  would  you  say  of  a  Captain,  who,  with  his 
steamer  and  passengers  starts  out  to  sea  with  just 
fourteen  days  provision  and  coal,  while  there  is  plenty 
to  spare,  simply  because  he  expects  to  cross  the 
Atlantic  in  just  two  weeks  ? 

Why,  you  would  say  "  he  is  a  real — "  stop,  stop  ! 
How  do  you  «know  that  you  can  command  the  servi- 
ces of  the  entire  lungs  half  long  enough  to  cross  the 
Ocean  ?  And  as  you  hardly  have  a  cubic  inch  to 
spare,  in  case  of  emergency,  you  had  better  let  the 
folly  of  the  Captain  pass  for  what  it  is  worth,  and  if 
he  does  not  repent  and  return  to  take  in  a  little  more 
coal,  you  had  better  prepare  at  once,  to  take  in  a 
little  more  air ! 

But  the  individual  who  has  a  well-expanded  tho- 
rax, in  which  the  lungs  have  plenty  of  room  for 
dilatation,  may  lose  an  entire  lung,  and  yet  breathe  on, 
and  live  on  through  a  long  life,  with  little  inconveni- 
ence. 

Hence  we  see  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  our 
Creator  in  furnishing  us  with  two  lungs,  as  well  as 
with  two  eyes,  two  hands,  two  feet,  &c.,  for  every 
indispensable  act  can  be  performed  with  one  of 


ERRORS.  115 

each  of  these  organs,  when  in  a  state  of  integrity. 
Perhaps  the  reader  may  think  it  a  pity  that  some 
were  not  made  with  two  heads  also,  if  wisdom  might 
thereby  be  found  in  either. 

No\v,  mothers,  for  the  sake  of  your  own  safety,  the 
health  and  happiness  of  your  daughters,  and  the  re- 
demption of  countless  victims  from  the  compressing, 
crushing  influence  of  a  silken  serpent,  let  me  once 
beseech  you  to  act  the  part  of  wisdom,  and  set  an 
example,  and  exert  an  influence  worthy  of  your  ex- 
alted station.  Will  you  not  reform  at  once  ?  Why 
not?  I  assure  you  that  it  is  not  an  evil  to  be 
winked  at.  It  is  no  trifle  to  be  even  fashionably  suf- 
focated. 

It  will  afford  you  no  comfort,  when  you  shall  be 
compelled  to  point  those  to  the  grave-yard,  who 
inquire  after  your  loved  ones,  to  be  able  to  say,  they 
lived  and  died  in  the  fashion.  O  no  !  Those  upon 
whose  life  and  comfort,  your  very  existence  may  al- 
most depend — whose  light  hearts,  and  bright  eyes, 
and  sweet  voices,  and  ruddy  faces,  are  better  to  you 
than  all  the  sparkling  gems,  and  glittering  crowns, 
and  matchless  harps,  and  golden  sands,  of  which 
earth  can  boast.  Alas  !  would  you  sacrifice  to  fash- 
ion those  cherished  ones  whom  you  so  dearly  love, 
and  over  whom  you  have  so  long  watched,  with  the 
fondest  hopes,  and  highest  expectation — whose  silky 
locks  a  mother's  hand  so  ofc  has  parted,  and  whose 
blooming  cheeks  so  seldom  lose  a  mother's  kiss  ;  and 
over  their  lifeless  remains  would  you  shed  your  last 
tear ;  on  their  sandy  graves,  plant  the  weeping- willow, 
and  on  their  flinty  tomb-stones  write  a  long  farewell  ? 


116  ERRORS. 


If  not,  then  again  I  beseech  you  to  let  your  ma- 
ternal tenderness  be  mingled  with  timely  prudence, 
while  you  hear  the  voice  of  warning."  While  yet 
there  is  hope. 

When  the  physician  finds  that  he  can  do  no  more 
to  stay  the  work  of  death,  remember  that  it  is  quite 
painful  enough  to  communicate  the  fact,  without 
pointing  out  at  such  a  time,  the  folly  which  has  led  to 
such  a  disastrous  result.  And,  besides  all  this,  it  is 
then  too  late  to  give  advice.  Hence  you  will  not  hear 
at  such  a  time,  what  you  may  hear  on  other  occasions 
if  you  will. 

From  what  I  have  already  said,  in  another  place, 
respecting  the  pliable  condition  of  the  bones  in  early 
life,  it  will  be  seen  that  compression  of  the  chest,  at 
any  period  before  twenty,  or  twenty-five,  is  \vorse 
than  at  a  more  advanced  age.  If  you  contract  its 
cavity  by  long  compression  before  twenty,  you  cannot 
properly  expand  it  then,  if  you  would. 

But  please  bear  in  mind,  that  corset  strings  are  not 
the  only  bands  of  pulmonary  bondage.  Watch  your 
dress-maker,  and  don't  let  her  cheat  you  out  of  your 
earthly  comforts,  by  sending  you  on  your  way  to  the 
grave,  panting  for  breath. 

As  I  witness  in  our  streets  the  slow  and  solemn 
tread  of  the  funeral  train,  I  sometimes  say  to  myself, 
now,  if  the  primary  cause  of  death  could  always  be 
written  upon  the  hearse,  in  letters  that  none  could 
fail  to  see,  that  none  could  misunderstand,  many  stout 
hearts  would  tremble,  while  the  incredulity  of  others 
would  be  terribly  shaken.  With  such  teaching  as 
this,  the  warning  voice  from  the  living  would  hardly 


ERRORS.  117 


be  so  much  needed,  though  it  is  doubtless  true,  that 
many  "  would  not  be  persuaded  though  one  rose  from 
the  d^ad." 

But  if  I  should  say,  that  it  is  all  idle  to  cry  out 
against  errors  in  this,  or  that  department,  that  it 
makes  no  difference  what  you  eat,  nor  what  you  drink, 
nor  what  you  wear,  nor  what  you  do. — suit  your 
own  fancy,  and  your  health  will  take  care  of  itself — 
many  would  cry  out.  Ah !  yes,  this  is  just  the  doctor 
for  me  !  But  as  I  am  not  prepared  to  advocate  such 
views,  nor  authorized  to  4<  cry  Peace,  peace,  when, 
there  is  no  peace,"  I  will  proceed  to  give  a  few  more 
hints  under  the  head  of  errors. 

PRIDE    AND    POVERTY. 

A  man  sometimes  suffers  pride  to  run  away  with 
his  health  and  happiness,  faster  than  the  **  running  of 
Ahimaaz,  the  son  of  Zadok,"  and  '*  the  driving  of  Jehu, 
the  son  of  Nimshi,"  while  he  searches  for  other  cau- 
ses of  his  deteriorated  health,  throughout  the  dark 
recesses  of  earth's  calamities.  The  following  may 
be  given  as  an  example. 

A  man  in  town,  has  lived  many  years  in  a  two-story 
house,  where  he  has  enjoyed  more  real  comfort  per- 
haps than  most  of  his  neighbors.  He  has  lived  with- 
in his  income,  promptly  met  all  his  engagements,  and 
has  received  all  the  respect  that  be  could  desire. 

But  in  an  unlucky  moment,  he  has  come  under  the 
poisonous  influence  of  that  infection,  which,  in  mod- 
ern times,  so  pervades  the  atmosphere  of  all  large 
cities  and  towns.  The  fashionable  style  and  parade 
of  his  rich  neighbor,  has  caught  his  eye,  and,  like  the 


118  ERRORS. 

charm  of  the  serpent,  has  rendered  him  an  easy  prey 
to  future  wretchedness.  His  neighbor  has  plenty  of 
money,  and  therefore  has  a  right  to  live  in  a  style 
which  is  no  criterion  for  him. 

But,  alas  !  the  man  measures  his  comforts  by  the 
wrong  rule.  He  foolishly  supposes  that  his  neighbor's 
enjoyments  must  be  at  least  one-third  more  than  his, 
because  he  lives  in  a  house  one-third  higher.  This 
he  cannot  tolerate.  Neither  can  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ters. Hence  he  contracts  at  once  for  a  three-story 
house. 

Well,  the  old  furniture  must  now  be  disposed  of, 
whether  it  sells  for  little  or  much,  as  the  very  sight 
of  it,  would  be  equal  to  living  in  the  old  house. 
Other  articles,  and  more  numerous  and  splendid,  must 
adorn  the  mansion. 

DISCOVERED    TOO    LATE  ! 

But  the  mistaken  man  finds,  to  his  great  astonish- 
ment, a  little  too  late,  that  he  is  in  a  fair  way  to  be 
placed  under  the  head  of  errors.  His  funds  begin  to  run 
short,  before  the  last  ornament  has  graced  the  new 
abode.  This  fiscal  cooler  gives  him  such  a  chill, 
when  he  looks  the  matter  fairly  in  the  face,  that  at 
least  one  story  of  his  anticipated  comforts  is  knocked 
away  ! 

NOT    EASY    TO     STOP. 

Well,  he  is  now  fairly  in  the  current,  and  conse- 
quently must  float  on.  Appearances  must  be  kept 
up,  and  a  fashionable  party  must  come  off  in  due 
time,  and  in  due  form.  For  this  he  requires  five 


ERRORS.  119 

hundred  dollars,  and,  being  a  little  minus,  asks  his 
friends  for  the  money,  and  finds,  to  his  great  mortifica- 
tion, that  they  are  perfectly  aware  that  his  income  will 
not  warrant  his  present  extravagance,  and  dare  not 
accommodate  him  as  in  days  past. 

Now  he  begins  to  realize  and  regret  his  error. 
Now  he  vainly  wishes  he  could  recal  the  past.  A 
crushing  weight  lies  upon  his  mind,  and  disgrace 
stares  him  in  the  face  !  What  can  he  do  ?  Behold 
the  crisis  draws  near  !  He  vacillates  between  hope 
and  despair — turns  to  the  right,  and  the  left — looks 
this  way,  and  that — goes  up  town,  and  down — works 
early  and  late,  runs  to  bankers,  brokers,  and  shavers ; 
begs  assistance,  asks  endorsers,  offers  pledges,  and 
after  a  few  more  days  of  deep  and  awful  anguish,  a 
red  flag  is  seen  fluttering  in  the  wind  over  his  door, 
endorsed  with  that  significant  word,  AUCTION. 

This  is  the  brief  history  of  too  many,  who  in  this, 
and  in  similar  ways,  sacrifice  their  health  and  hap- 
piness to  pride.  Now  they  would  be  perfectly  sat- 
isfied to  come  down  to  two-story -house-comforts. 

Yes,  and  cheerfully  submit  to  all  their  losses  of 
dollars  and  cents,  if  they  could  but  regain  their  for- 
mer reputation.  But,  alas  !  confidence  has  departed, 
and  perhaps  health  and  hope  too  ! 

Although  such  a  disaster  will  not  affect  all  alike 
unfavorably,  yet  the  system  may  receive  such  a 
shock,  as  eventually  to  place  it  beyond  the  curative 
reach  of  any  remedial  agent.  Hence,  the  physician 
sees  the  importance  of  warning  his  fellow-men  to 

beware  of  errors  in  every  form. 
6 


120  ERRORS. 


CRIMINAL    ERROR. 

Whenever  a  man  is  determined  to  gratify  his 
pride,  even  at  the  expense  of  others,  he  then  imperils 
the  welfare  of  his  fellows,  as  well  as  his  own.  When 
he  lies  down  at  night,  he  calls  to  mind  many  who 
have  toiled  long  and  hard  for  him,  and  have  not  been 
requited.  The  cries  of  the  wronged  poor  ring  in 
his  ears.  The  sighs  of  those  whom  he  has  impover- 
ished, disturb  him  without  his  consent,  and  prevent 
his  repose.  The  entreaties  of  those  who  have  gone 
to  the  dead,  come  up  afresh  from  the  grave,  and  he 
leaves  his  bed  and  walks  his  room  and  tries  to  forget 
the  past. 

At  length  he  looks  out,  and  discovers  at  a  little 
distance,  sitting  at  an  attic  window,  a  poor,  emaciated 
widow,  exerting  what  little  strength  remains,  whose 
honest  husband  he  knows  full  well  that  he  hurried  to 
the  grave,  by  robbing  him  of  all  the  living  that  he 
had,  so  that  now  she  must  devote  a  double  portion 
of  her  time  to  labor,  to  keep  those  little  ones  from 
starving  and  freezing,  who  are  already  becoming 
diseased,  through  his  own  agency.  And  his  thoughts 
drive  him  from  pillar  to  post,  as  his  mind  glances 
over  the  field  of  desolation,  bringing  to  view  those 
whom  he  has  rendered  helpless,  homeless,  and 
breadless ! 

Can  he  rest?  Not  as  an  honest  man  rests!  He 
may  lie  on  a  bed  of  down — may  roll  in  luxury  and 
heap  up  his  ill-gotten  gains  to  the  clouds,  and  revel 
in  all  the  gratifications  that  wealth  and  energy  can 
command,  yet  he  is  not  a  happy  man.  Conscience  is  a 


ERRORS.  121 


thorn  in  his  pillow — an  arrow  in  his  bosom,  a  bitter 
dreg;  in  his  cup!  Some  may  say,  "he  has  no  con- 
science !"  So  much  the  toorse. 

When  he  arises  in  the  morning  and  sits  down  to  a 
repast  (which,  though  through  his  ill-gotten  gains  he 
is  permitted  to  receive)  dare  he  say,  '*  O  Lord,  bless 
me  in  the  reception  of  this  food  which  I  have  just 
snatched  out  of  the  mouth  of  that  poor  widow  over 
the  way."  What  else  can  he  say  and  speak  the 
truth  ?  And  if  he  dare  not  speak  the  truth  to  his 
Maker,  he  had  better  stop  and  make  universal  satis- 
faction, as  far  as  is  possible,  if  it  takes  the  last  dol- 
lar— he,  as  well  as  others,  will  be  far  better  off. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  I  remarked  at  the  com- 
mencement of  this  work,  that  health  prevents  crime, 
and  I  may  here  remark  with  equal  propriety,  that 
crime  prevents  health  ! 

SURGICAL    ERRORS. 

An  erroneous  opinion  has  been  very  generally  en- 
tertained, in  regard  to  bleeding  immediately  after 
injuries.  Now,  the  reader  may  be  present  where 
some  individual  has  fallen  from  a  great  height,  and 
received  a  very  severe  shock.  The  first  thing  that  you 
will  probably  hear,  is,  Bleed  him,  bleed  him !  Possibly 
the  same  thing  may  happen  to  you.  Should  you  be  so 
unfortunate,  and  should  any  one  attempt  to  thrust  in  a 
lancet,  for  there  is  often  some  knowing  one  near  by 
who  has  at  least  seen  a  horse  bleed ;  say  to  him,  if 
you  can  speak,  stay  your  hand !  and  if  you  wish  to 
move  the  circulation  aright,  put  a  bottle  of  hot 
water  (if  you  can  spare  no  more)  to  my  feet. 


122  ERRORS. 


If  the  case  should  appear  so  urgent,  and  the  de- 
mand for  a  doctor  so  great,  that  an  attempt  should 
be  made  to  raise  Hippocrates  from  the  grave,  and  if 
he  should  actually  come  forth  with  a  lancet  in  his  hand, 
just  invite  him  to  retire  until  you  at  least  get  warm. 
During  the  stage  of  prostration,  while  the  surface  is 
cold  and  bloodless,  beware  how  you  trifle  with  the 
precious  fluid.  Take  not  a  drop  until  reaction  comes 
on,  and  perhaps  not  then. 

But,  some  say  that  it  is  better  to  bleed  early  to 
prevent  too  much  reaction.  Not  so.  While  in  this 
state  of  prostration,  which  usually  follows  severe 
injuries,  no  living  man  can  tell  whether  there  will 
be  reaction  enough.  This  you  must  have  or  die ! 
You  had  better  wait  therefore  until  you  see  whether 
you  are  going  to  have  reaction  enough  to  keep  you 
alive,  before  you  quench  the  last  vital  spark  ! 

But  it  is  said,  "  there  is  a  want  of  circulation"  and 
so  this  is  given  as  an  excuse  for  bleeding.  A  miser- 
able excuse  it  is.  True,  there  is  very  little  blood 
moving  in  the  veins  at  such  a  time,  and  would  you 
therefore  take  away  that  ?  What  else  will  enable 
the  system  to  rally,  and  push  the  stagnant  flood  into 
its  appropriate  channel  ?  But,  very  fortunately  for 
the  patient,  nature  is  wiser  than  the  doctor  and  often 
prevents  him  from  robbing  the  sufferer  of  his  last  and 
only  hope.  It  is  generally  difficult  to  obtain  much 
blood  during  the  cold  stage.  But  instead  of  taking 
this  plain  hint  from  nature,  the  majority  seem  to 
think,  that  the  more  difficult  it  is  to  make  the  blood 
flow,  the  greater  is  the  necessity  for  bleeding.  The  first 
great  and  important  thing  to  be  done  after  a  serious 


ERRORS.  123 


injury,  is,  to  put  the  patient  in  a  favorable  position, 
and  then  get  him  warm  as  soon  as  possible,  and  in 
the  mean  time  send  for  a  physician. 

The  above  remarks  are  made,  not  only  to  correct 
a  popular  error,  but  because  such  cases  require 
prompt  action,  and  because  it  is  necessary  that  every 
one  should  be  prepared  to  act  intelligently,  from  the 
spur  of  the  moment. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  proper  to  notice,  in  connection 
with  this  subject,  another  error,  though  it  might  be 
placed  under  the  suceeding  head.  I  allude  to  the 
practice  of  giving  cathartics.  Now,  in  all  cases 
where  the  injury  has  fallen  UDon  the  trunk,  it  is  bet- 
ter to  avoid  premature  purging.  If  the  patient  is 
injured  only  externally,  he  will  probably  get  well 
without  physic.  At  least  he  will  not  require  any  for 
a  few  days.  If  there  be  an  internal  injury,  the  pro- 
bability is,  that  the  physic  will  do  more  harm  than 
good.  The  parts,  in  order  to  recover  from  the  injury, 
ought  to  be  kept  quiet.  The  patient  should  also  re- 
frain from  eating.  For  painful  parts,  poultices  and 
fomentations  will  be  found  valuable.  If  the  patient 
is  thirsty,  he  may  drink  toast-water,  barley-water,  or 
ice- water.  But  in  the  early  stage,  that  is,  soon  after 
the  injury,  if  re-action  does  not  appear,  stimulants, 
both  externally  and  internally,  will  be  required.  l£% 
the  patient  can  swallow,  give  him  small  doses  of 
brandy  and  water,  oft  repeated.  If  there  are  any 
wounds,  of  course  they  must  be  attended  to,  and 
hemorrhages  arrested.  These  few  general  remarks 
are  made,  under  the  supposition  that  possibly  the 


124  ERRORS. 


reader  may  be  so  situated  that  surgical  aid  cannot 
readily  be  obtained. 

MEDICAL    ERRORS. 

Some  people,  yea,  many,  commit  a  grave  mistake 
by  dosing  themselves,  their  children,  and  their  friends 
to  death.  They  would  not  risk  as  many  drugs  in 
their  horses,  as  they  do  in  their  own  stomachs.  This 
is  an  error  which  sustains  more  than  half  the  drug- 
shops  throughout  the  land,  to  say  nothing  about 
humbugs  and  nostrom-venders.  I  hope  my  friends, 
whose  vocation  it  is  to  roll  up  the  pills,  and  stir  up 
the  powders,  an  honorable  and  useful  one  to  be  sure 
will  not  charge  me  with  unnecessarily  endangering 
their  craft.  The  truth  must  be  told ;  though  I  do  not 
think  there  is  much  danger  at  present.  For  mothers 
and  nurses  (at  least  many  of  them)  seem  almost  to 
think  that  infants  ought  to  be  born  in  a  medicine-chest. 
Hence,  as  soon  as  they  have  sense  enough  to  cry,  and 
strength  enough  to  swallow,  down  goes  the  castor-oil 
.and  catnip,  no  matter  what,  or  whether  any  thing  is 
the  matter  or  not ;  down  it  goes ! 

If  the  little  one  is  fortunate,  or  unfortunate  enough 
to  outlive  this  stage  of  medication,  and  happens  to 
have  a  little  colic  and  runs  to  mamma  and  says, 
"  O,  I  have  got  a  pain !" — she  says, "  Run,  Susan,  run, 
hurry,  hurry,  and  get  the  castor-oil — quick,  quick — the 
child  is  sick !" 

If  this  passes  off  favorably,  and  the  child  is  sub- 
sequently tempted  to  eat  more  trash  than  the 
stomach  can  possibly  tolerate,  and  nature  comes 
to  its  relief  and  unloads  the  organ,  the  moment  the 


ERRORS.  125 

little  sufferer  begins  to  vomit,  the  frightened  mother 
exclaims,  "  Oh  !  my  dear  husband,  call  the  nurse,  and 
speak  to  the  cook,  and  ring  for  the  waiter,  and  run 
for  the  doctor,  the  child  is  going  to  have  a  fit." 

Hence  with  all  the  evils  to  which  they  are  exposed, 
many  of  which  have  been  noticed  already,  it  is  not 
at  all  strange  that  so  large  a  proportion  of  children 
die  before  they  are  five  years  old.  The  reader  will 
perceive  under  the  head  of  "  longevity"  that  the  bills 
of  mortality  show  a  frightful  per  cent,  of  deaths 
among  this  class,  throughout  the  world. 

PATIENTS    ERRORS. 

Perhaps  I  ought  to  notice  an  error,  which  is  far 
more  common  than  many  are  disposed  to  admit,  and 
which  is  just  as  foolish  as  it  is  unsafe.  While  we 
condemn  the  habit  of  drugging  for  every  little  pain, 
and  unpleasant  sensation,  we  are  well  aware  that 
there  are  many  cases  where  remedial  agents  are  not 
only  indispensable,  but  require  to  be  administered 
strictly  according  to  the  precise  directions  of  the 
physician. 

Xow  there  is  a  certain  class  of  patients,  who,  after 
they  send  for  a  physician,  seem  to  think  that  they 
really  do  quite  well  if  they  listen  to  half  the  doctor 
says,  and  take  half  the  medicine  he  prescribes.  Of 
course  they  consider  him  half  a  doctor,  and  hence 
they  ought  to  be  but  half  cured,  and  this  is  more  than 
they  have  any  reason  to  expect ;  and  twice  as  much 
as  they  deserve  ! 

They  send  for  a  physician,  not  simply  to  be  bene- 
fitted  by  his  knowledge,  but  to  tell  him  how  much 


126  ERRORS. 

they  know.  But  the  doctor  must  come,  whether  con- 
venient, or  even  safe,  or  not,  and  come  in  haste  ! 

Is  he  taking  his  dinner  ? 

No  matter  for  that !  Let  him  eat  when  he  has 
nothing  else  to  do,  and  if  he  has  a  cold  dinner,  that 
is  his  look  out. 

Is  he  taking  the  first  nap,  after  a  sleepless  week  ? 

Wake  him,  wake  him !  A  sleepy  doctor  cannot  be 
tolerated.  He  was  never  licensed  to  sleep  ! 

Is  he  twice  as  sick  as  the  patient  ? 

No  matter  for  that.  What  right  has  a  doctor  to 
be  sick  ? 

Well,  when  he  arrives,  the  servant  shows  him  into 

the  parlor,  and  informs  him  that  Mr. is  taking 

his  dinner,  and  will  be  ready  to  see  him  in  less  than 
half  an  hour.  The.  physician,  if  he  does  not  leave  at 
once,  and  go  home  and  finish  his  turkey,  or  his  nap, 
and  charge  the  man  for  a  visit  made  to  his  parlor^ 
sits  down  and  tries  to  content  himself  by  reading  the 
news,  or  by  calling  to  mind  the  pleasures  and  privi- 
leges of  the  profession. 

After  the  patient  has  eaten  enough  for  two  well 
men,  he  makes  his  appearance,  and  says,  "  Doctor,  I 
have  been  very  much  afflicted  with  a  severe  pain  in 
my  foot  for  several  days,  and  I  thought  I  would  con- 
sult you  about  it,  though  I  know  perfectly  well  that 
there  is  very,  little  use  in  doing  any  thing  for  these 
sprains,  and  I  have  pretty  much  made  up  my  mind 
to  let  it  alone  altogether." 

"  Well,  let  your  opinion  be  what  it  may,  your  dis- 
ease is  undoubtedly — " 

"  Doctor,  I  am  one  of  the  most  temperate  men  in 


ERRORS.  127 


the  world,  and  it  cannot  be  possible  that  I  have  got 
the  gout" 

"  It  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  abstain  from  the 
use  of—" 

"  No,  sir,  I  am  not  going  to  starve  myself  at  any 
rate." 

ki  You  will  also  find  it  necessary  to  take  a  little — " 

"  Not  at  all.  I  do  not  intend  to  make  a  drug-shop  of 
my  stomach,  any  how  !  And,  more  than  this,  I  should 
like  to  know  how  long  it  will  take  you  to  cure  me, 
for  I  am  not  going  to  be  long  shut  up  here,  dosing 
and  dieting." 

*'  I  never  warrant  any  man  cured,  without  any  re- 
gard to  time." 

"  Well,  doctor,  I  think  I  had  better  try  some  new 
system.  There  is  a  great  and  wonderful  baker  down 
town  who  says  that  he  can  cure  me  with  bran-bread" 

"  Yes,  this  is  undoubtedly  far  better  for  you,  than 
the  trash  which  you  have  been  eating." 

"  There  is  also  a  washerman  up-town  who  makes 
remarkable  cures  with  Croton  water" 

"  I  can  cheerfully  recommend  this  treatment,  for  I 
always  approve  of  cleanliness." 

"  And  there  is  living  hard  by,  one  of  the  improved 
sons  of  Hahnemann,  who  is  altogether  an  extraordi- 
nary man,  for  he  makes  almost  miraculous  cures  by 
letting  his  patients  very  cautiously  breathe  minute 
doses  of  the.  air  which  has  been  wafted  from  the 
spice-hills  of  South  America." 

"  Well,  such  %treatment  is  admirably  adapted  to 
certain  disorders  of  the  liead" 

"  Perhaps  I  ought  to  mention,  also,  that  there  is 
6* 


128  ERRORS. 


a  man  in  town,  of  great  celebrity,  who  says  he  can 
cure  the  worst  cases  of  gout  and  dyspepsia,  by  keep- 
ing a  man's  bowels  dancing  eight-and-forty  hours 
like  a  churn-dasher." 

Now,  reader,  there  is  more  truth  than  poetry,  in  the 
above  representation.  Many,  not  only  run  after 
every  novel  remedy,  and  novel  doctor,  that  ingenui- 
ty can  invent,  but  while  they  have  every  reason  to 
be,  and  are  satisfied  with  their  own  medical  adviser, 
do  much  to  prevent  his  success  in  treating  disease.  I 
beg  leave  to  call  the  reader's  attention  to  one  very 
fruitful  source  of  evil,  in  this  respect.  It  is  generally 
the  offspring  of  kindness  and  ignorance,  and  there- 
fore deserves  the  more  attention. 

KIND    ENOUGH    TO    KILL. 

It  is  a  very  common  thing,  I  may  say,  an  every- 
day occurrence,  for  some  kind  friend  to  enter  the  sick 
room,  as  soon  as  the  doctor's  back  is  turned,  with 
a  little  well-meant,  but  ill-sent  advice,  saying,  "  Tako 
a  little  of  this  wonderful  medicine  which  I  always 
take  when  /  am  sick.  I  don't  care  what  the  doctor 
says,  my  doctor  recommends  it,  and  I  know  it  is  good, 
and  will  do  you  good,  and  that's  enough.  Down  with 
it,  it  helps  every  body  who  takes  it." 

Now,  if  a  man  should  advise  you  immediately  after 
taking  a  hearty  dinner,  to  take  another,  saying, "  Two 
dinners  are  better  than  one,"  he  would  be  a  wiser 
man  to  give  advice,  and  a  safer  guide  to  follow. 

Now  suppose  the  article  recommended,  to  be  as 
simple  as  its  prescriber,  if  that  were  possible,  it  may 
nevertheless  be  sufficient  to  perfectly  neutralize  the 


ERRORS.  129 

remedy  which  the  physician  has  just  given.  That 
very  remedy  perhaps  the  practitioner  expects  to  save 
his  patient's  life,  but  which  might  just  as  well  be  in 
the  doctor's  laboratory  as  in  the  patient's  stomach, 
after  being  thus  neutralized. 

On  the  other  hand,  although  the  article  itself  may 
be  very  simple  and  harmless  while  uncombined  with 
any  other  agent,  it  may,  notwithstanding,  be  the  very 
thing  to  unite  with  the  remedy  just  given,  and  form 
in  the  stomach  a  most  deadly  poison.  In  the  former 
case,  the  kind  friend  kills  the  patient  by  diminishing 
the  power  of  the  remedy  prescribed ;  in  the  latter,  by 
increasing  it. 

Let  it  be  understood,  that,  under  certain  circum- 
stances, the  most  disastrous  consequences  may  fol- 
low the  use  of  a  simple  dose  of  salts,  a  single  glass 
of  brandy,  or  even  a  small  crust  of  bread,  given  con- 
trary to  the  wishes  of  the  physician. 

Perhaps  I  have  hardly  given  a  hint  of  more  impor- 
tance than  the  last.  It  is  therefore  to  be  hoped  that 
the  reader  will  bear  it  in  mind.  And  whenever, 
and  wherever  an  attempt  shall  be  made  in  the  sick 
room  to  set  aside  the  physician's  advice,  or  to  modify 
his  plain  directions,  treat  it  at  once  as  the  urgency 
and  importance  of  the  case  demands,  even  if  the 
medical  adviser  be  a  downright  quack  !  No  matter 
who  he  is,  or  what  he  is ;  either  follow  his  directions 
or  follow  him,  and,  when  he  gets  to  the  door,  tell 
him  frankly  that  he  had  better  call  on  somebody 
else. 


130  ERRORS. 


TOO  FOND  OF  CHANGE. 

Don't  be  forever  running  after  a  new  doctor.  It  is 
better  for  the  profession,  perhaps,  and  the  apothe- 
v.  caries  too,  but  not  for  you.  The  physician  who  has 
long  watched  the  development  of  various  changes 
in  your  system,  and  the  effect  of  remedies  on  the 
constitution,  is  far  better  prepared,  other  things  being 
equal,  to  treat  you  successfully,  than  a  stranger. 

And  after  you  have  employed  a  physician  of  your 
own  choice,  don't  run  five  miles  to  give  a  lawyer 
fifty  dollars  to  help  you  to  cheat  the  doctor  out  of 
five !  Alas !  for  our  race,  that  such  a  hint  as  this 
should  ever  be  needful.  Put  confidence  in  your  doc- 
tor, follow  his  directions,  and  pay  his  bills,  and  then 
he  will  put  confidence  in  you.  But  how  can  he 
confide  in  one  whose  mind  is  as  flickering  as  a  whirl- 
wind, and  whose  faith  and  practice  are  as  wavering 
as  a  weather-cock. 

TOO    MUCH    CONFIDENCE. 

From  the  last  hint  given,  perhaps  the  reader  will 
hardly  expect  to  be  accused  of  trusting  too  implicitly 
to  medical  advisers. 

But  there  are  those  who  seem  to  feel,  judging  from 
their  habits  of  living,  that  if  there  is  a  good  and 
skillful  doctor  living  near  by,  who  has  a  fast  horse 
and  plenty  of  medicine,  there  is  little  or  no  danger 
of  dying,  do  what  they  will.  Hence  they  seem  to 
defy  the  "King  of  Terrors,"  as  they  plunge  into  all 
manner  of  excess  and  peril,  and  say,  "  Stand  back, 
here's  a  doctor  ?"  But  the  reader  will  remember  that 


ERRORS.  131 


I  have  already  said,  that  every  one  can  do  more  to 
prevent  disease,  than  the  physician  can  to  cure  it. 
It  is  very  well  to  have  a  medical  adviser  at  hand, 
in  case  of  emergency,  but  it  is  better  to  keep  him 
lar  off,  by  a  judicious  use  of  proper  promotives  of 
health. 

CLIMAX    OP   ALL    ERRORS. 

To  conclude  the  subject  of  errors,  I  beg  leave  to 
say,  that  a  greater  deviation  from  the  path  of  safety 
can  never  be  made  in  this  "  vale  of  tears,"  than  to 
neglect  a  moment  to  make  provision  for  the  last  great 
change.  Therefore,  whatever  you  do,  and  whatever 
you  leave  undone,  fail  not  to  prepare  for  the  sick-bed, 
while  in  health.  Depend  upon  it,  the  day  will  come,  will 
surely  come,  when  the  physician  and  all  his  remedies 
will  fail — when  heart  and  flesh,  and  earth,  and  friends, 
will  fail — when  you  will  need  the  aid  of  the  "  Great 
Physician,"  who  can  kill,  and  who  can  make  alive, 
and  who  alone  can  make  you  whole  for  time  and  for 
eternity.  Never  forget  that  the  sick-bed  is  a  poor 
place  to  rectify  errors.  And  no  man  has  any  certainty 
of  receiving  even  this  privilege,  for  very  many  come 
"short  of  such  an  opportunity.  If  you  defer  this  im- 
portant work,  I  tell  you,  fellow-traveller,  the  experi- 
ment will  be  made  at  your  own  peril.  This  is  an 
error,  the  influence  of  which  reaches  far  beyond 
the  grave,  and  stretches  onward  forever  and  forever 
more. 

Perhaps  the  reader  may  think  that  I  have  dwelt 
too  long  on  the  subject  of  errors,  though  "  the  half 


132  ERRORS. 


has  not  been  told,"  and  as  I  have  very  naturally  point- 
ed out  many,  under  other  heads,  such  as  diet,  exercise, 
ventilation,  &c.,  I  will  now  direct  his  attention  for 
a  few  moments  to  subjects  of  a  different  nature. 


RECIPES. 

In  presenting  a  few  recipes,  I  do  not  intend  to  con- 
fine myself  to  simply  medical  recipes,  but  shall  offer 
such  as  it  is  supposed  will  interest  the  reader,  and 
be  found  more  or  less  practical  in  the  various  depart- 
ments of  life,  and  also  either  directly  or  indirectly 
connected  with  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  public. 

To  arrest  a  Hemorrhage. — If  it  be  internal,  take  a 
tea-spoonful  of  table  salt,  dissolved  in  a  little  water, 
and  repeat  if  necessary.  If  external,  use  compres- 
sion. It  sometimes  happens  that  a  man  bleeds  to 
death  before  a  surgeon  can  be  obtained,  by  being 
accidentally  wounded.  If  it  happens  on  either 
df  the  extremities,  take  a  cravat,  suspender,  strip  of 
cloth,  or  any  thing  that  can  be  obtained  at  the  moment, 
tie  it  loosely  round  the  limb,  insert  a  stick,  twist  it 
up  until  the  bleeding  stops,  and  send  for  a  doctor  at 
once.  If  it  occurs  on  the  trunk,  where  such  meas- 
ures cannot  be  adopted,  perhaps  the  thumb  firmly  held 
upon  the  part  may  control  the  hemorrhage  until 
surgical  aid  can  be  obtained.  If  not,  a  hard  compress 
of  cloth,  firmly  rolled  up  and  pressed  upon  the  part, 
may  succeed.  It  is  often  a  much  more  simple  matter 
to  arrest  a  hemorrhage  than  many  seem  to  suppose. 
But,  in  consequence  of  not  believing  in  simple  reme- 
dies, some  are  left  to  bleed  to  death.  Now  just  do 
as  a  genuine  Yankee  does,  down  in  the  old  Bay  State, 
when  the  plug  flies  out  of  the  cider-barrel.  If  he 
cannot  find  it,  he  will  of  course  hold  his  thumb  over 
the  hole  until  some  one  brings  another.  If  you  will 


134  '  RECIPES. 


bear  this  in  mind,  you  will  perhaps  save  some  man's 
life,  if  not  his  cider. 

To  stop  Vomiting. — Either  one  or  more  of  the  fol- 
lowing remedies  may  be  tried.  Put  a  mustard  plaster 
over  the  pit  of  the  stomach.  Take  a  little  ice- 
water,  or  eat  the  ice.  A  tea-spoonful  of  Carb.  of 
Magnesia  and  water,  is  often  successful.  Small  do- 
ses of  clear  brandy,  if  the  patient  can  swallow  it, 
often  works  like  a  charm.  Sometimes  wheat  flour, 
mixed  with  cold  water,  and  frequently  better  than 
all  is  to  do  nothing.  Let  the  stomach  rest. 

To  induce  Vomiting. — It  is  frequently  necessary  to 
produce  instant  vomiting  after  some  poisonous  article 
has  been  swallowed,  and  it  is  important  for  every 
family  to  know  what  can  be  effectually  and  safely 
given,  in  such  cases.  Every  one  knows  that  Ipecac 
and  Tartar  Emetic  will  speedily  produce  emesis. 
Bat  the  latter  is  unsafe  in  inexperienced  hands.  The 
former  is  safe  but  not  always  at  hand.  A  table- 
spoonful  of  common  salt  in  warm  water  will  answer 
the  purpose,  and  act  kindly  on  the  system.  The  same 
quantity  of  ground  mustard  is  still  more  efficient. 
These  articles  are  invaluable  because  always  at 
hand. 

To  check  Diarrhoea. — Almost  any  astringent,  given 
in  sufficient  quantity,  will  check  an  ordinary  diar- 
rhea— a  strong  infusion  of  green  tea  may  be  effica- 
cious. But  it  is  much  more  difficult  to  give  a  safe 
and  suitable  recipe,  adapted  to  general  use,  in  this 
case,  than  in  those  mentioned  above.  One  form  of 
diarrho3a  may  require  a  laxative — another  an  astrin- 
gent— the  third  a  tonic — and  the  fourth  a  sedative 


RECIPES.  135 

treatment,  &c.  This  makes  it  all  important  to  con- 
sult a  physician,  and  generally  the  urgency  of  the 
symptoms  does  not  prevent  recourse  to  the  faculty 
before  commencing  upon  any  course  of  treatment. 
But  this  volume  may  reach  some  sufferer  whose  lot 
is  cast  beyond  the  reach  of  doctors,  to  whom  it  may 
not  be  amiss  to  give  a  word  of  advice.  In  all  cases, 
first  regulate  the  diet.  Remove  every  offending 
agent  as  much  as  possible,  and  breathe  a  pure  air. 
Use  warm  salt  water  bathing  and  friction.  The  diet 
should  be  simple  and  small  in  quantity.  Say  a  little 
plain  rice,  thoroughly  boiled,  without  butter,  and 
first  thin  enough  to  drink  it.  Also  small  quantities 
of  chicken  broth.  Gradually  the  food  may  be  taken 
drier,  and  the  quantity  cautiously  increased,  after  the 
discharge  is  checked.  In  a  majority  of  cases,  a  mild 
dose  of  physic  may  be  taken  at  the  commencement, 
followed  in  six  hours  with  25  drops  of  laudanum,  that 
is,  for  an  adult,  and  let  the  patient  drink  lime-water 
freely  through  the  day.  Much  other  treatment  may- 
be required  which  I  need  not  notice. 

I  have  already  spoken  of  the  importance  of  regu- 
lating the  diet.  This  will  appear  very  obvious  when 
it  is  remembered  that  some  indigestible  article  of 
food  taken  into  the  stomach,  is  often  the  great  pro- 
lific cause  of  the  evil.  Special  pains  should  be  ta- 
ken to  prevent  such  an  occurrence  in  young  children, 
and  more  vigilance  still  is  required  in  hot  weather 
and  especially  in  large  towns  where  this  affection 
is  so  apt  to  terminate  in  Cholera  Infantum. 


136  RECIPES. 

nently,  it  will  he  necessary  to  cure  the  disease.  But 
great  temporary  relief  may  generally  be  obtained 
from  the  use  of  antacids,  such  as  Potash,  Soda,  Mag- 
nesia, Lime-water,  &c.  The  great  thing  is  to  pre- 
vent it  by  the  use  of  a  proper  diet.  Dispose  of  pastry 
as  you  would  if  you  knew  it  to  be  half  arsenic.  Let 
others  eat  all  the  sweet  things.  Take  a  large  pro- 
portion of  animal  food,  though  not  salt  or  smoked 
meats.  Salt  and  water,  or  vinegar  and  salt,  over  the 
stomach  and  bowels,  with  plenty  of  friction,  should 
never  be  forgotten. 

To  prevent  Flatulence. — This  troublesome  affection 
is  only  a  symptom  of  derangement  of  the  digestive 
organs,  and  frequently  accompanies  heart-burn,  and 
requires  the  same  treatment  as  the  last  noticed.  All 
kinds  of  food  which  readily  undergo  acteous  fermen- 
tation, should  be  avoided.  In  this  process  both  gas 
and  acid,  are  generated.  The  gas  of  course  producing 
flatulence,  and  the  acid  producing  heart-burn. 

To  make  Lime-Water. — Take  of  fresh-burnt  lime  a 
piece  the  size  of  a  butternut,  and  pour  upon  it  a  quart 
or  two  of  pure  soft  water  ;  stir  it  well,  cover  the 
vessel,  and  set  it  aside  for  three  hours.  Then  put  it 
in  a  well-stopped  bottle,  shake  it  a  few  times,  and 
keep  it  for  future  use.  This  is  a  valuable  antacid, 
tonic,  and  astringent,  and  may  be  employed  with 
great  advantage  in  many  cases,  and  especially  in 
dyspepsia,  attended  with  acid  stomach.  And  mixed 
with  milk,  which  completely  covers  its  taste,  it  is 
one  of  the  best  remedies  in  our  possession  for  those 
whose  stomachs  will  not  retain  their  food.  Such 
persons  ought  to  make  it  their  principal  aliment ; 


HECIPES.  1 37 

that  is,  lime-water  and  milk,  with  bread,  crackers, 
mush,  &c.  Say  a  wine-glassful  to  a  pint  of  milk. 
To  check  vomiting,  a  tea- spoonful  every  fifteen 
minutes  may  be  given.  In  diarrhoea  and  other 
complaints  it  is  also  useful. 

Liniment  for  Burns. — Take  equal  parts  of  lime- 
water  and  linseed,  or  sweet  oil,  and  mix. 

Liniment  for  Sprains,  Bruises,  Gouty  and  Rheumatic 
Affections,  fyc. — Take  Camphor,  half  an  ounce  ;  sweet 
oil,  two  ounces.  Dissolve  the  camphor  in  the  oil, 
apply  it  to  the  part,  and  rub  it  in. 

To  make  Wine  Whey.— Take  good  Teneriffe,  Ma- 
deira, or  Claret,  from  a  gill  to  half  a  pint,  and  mix  it 
with  a  pint  of  sweet  milk,  and  boil,  and  strain,  and 
sweeten  the  whey  with  loaf  sugar.  This  is  a  grate- 
ful and  nourishing  stimulus  in  cases  of  great  debility, 
and  may  be  used  frequently  through  the  day,  beginning 
with  a  table-spoonful,  and  increasing  as  the  patient 
will  bear  it.  If  it  should  bring  on  headache,  or 
flushed  countenance,  it  should  be  diminished  or  sus- 
pended altogether  until  these  symptoms  disappear. 

To  make  Mustard  Whey. — Boil  together  one  pint  of 
milk,  and  half  an  ounce  of  bruised  Mustard-seed, 
until  the  milk  is  curdled.  Then  strain.  "  This  whey 
has  been  found  to  be  a  useful  drink  in  dropsy.  A 
tea-cupful  at  a  time  may  be  taken." 

To  make  Beef  Tea. — Take  a  piece  of  raw,  lean, 
beef,  chop  it  fine  and  immerse  it  in  cold  water  ten  min- 
utes, and  then  boil  ten  minutes,  and  flavor  it  with  salt, 
perhaps  a  very  little  pepper,  and  gradually  add  rice, 
bread,  &c.,  as  the  patient  can  bear  it. 


138  RECIPES. 

To  make  Tapioca  Milk. — Soak  an  ounce  of  Tapioca 
in  a  pint  of  cold  water  half  an  hour.  Pour  off  the 
water,  and  add  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk,  and  boil 
slowly  until  the  Tapioca  is  thoroughly  incorporated 
with  the  milk.  "No  amylaceous  substance,"  says 
Dr.  Christison,  "is  so  much  relished  by  infants 
about  the  time  of  weaning,  and  in  them  it  is  less  apt 
to  become  sour  during  digestion  than  any  other  fari- 
naceous food,  even  arrow-root  not  excepted."  This 
is  also  one  of  the  best  forms  of  preparing  Tapioca 
for  adults,  when  they  require  this  kind  of  diet.  Of 
course  the  adult  will  prefer  a  little  seasoning. 

To  make  Chocolate. — Take  of  chocolate,  for  four 
persons,  one  ounce,  (some  say  two  ounces,)  water,  one 
part,  milk,  two  parts,  and  boil  together,  and  add 
sugar  quantum  sufficit.  Of  course  sweet  chocolate 
will  not  be  selected,  unless  the  purchaser  prefers  to 
buy  his  sugar  at  twenty-five  cents  per  pound. 

To  make  Coffee. — Take  any  given  amount  of  coffee, 
Java  or  Mocha,  being  well  prepared  by  roasting  and 
grinding ;  pour  boiling  water  upon  it,  and  filter  with- 
out boiling.  Don't  omit  the  trimmings.  But  if 
milk  be  used,  instead  of  cream,  boil  it,  which  greatly 
improves  its  flavor. 

To  Boil  Meat. — First  boil  the  water,  and  then  in- 
troduce the  meat,  and  it  will  retain  its  juices  much 
more  perfectly  than  when  put  into  cold  water.  It 
will  be  recollected  that,  in  making  beef  tea,  we  first 
put  the  meat  in  cold  water,  for  the  very  reason  that 
we  want  the  juices  of  the  meat  in  the  water.  But 
not  so  when  we  want  to  eat  the  meat  instead  of  the 
water. 


RECIPES.  139 


To  Roast  Meat. — Roast  it  before  an  open  fire, 
instead  of  smothering  in  the  fumes  of  a  stove.  I 
am  aware  that  this  form  of  roasting  is  not  conve- 
nient for  many,  and  they  must  therefore  be  content 
to  have  it  convenient  to  eat  inferior  roast  beef,  and 
turkies  too. 

BREAD. 

As  this  is  an  article  of  food  of  so  much  importance 
to  all,  a  few  remarks  upon  its  history,  before  notic- 
ing the  different  modes  of  preparing  it,  may  be  grati- 
fying to  the  reader. 

"Ovens  were  first  invented  in  the  East.  Their 
construction  was  understood  by  the  Jews,  the  Greeks, 
and  the  Asiatics,  among  whom  baking  was  practiced 
as  a  distinct  profession.  In  this  art  the  Cappado- 
cians,  Lydians,  and  Phoenicians,  are  said  to  have  par- 
ticularly excelled.  It  was  not  till  about  580  years 
after  the  foundation  of  Rome,  that  these  artizans 
passed  into  Europe.  The  Roman  armies,  on  their 
return  from  Macedonia,  brought  Grecian  Bakers 
with  them  into  Italy.  As  these  bakers  had  hand- 
mills  beside  their  ovens,  they  still  continued  to  be 
called  pistores,  from  the  ancient  practice  of  bruising 
the  corn  in  a  mortar;  and  their  bake-houses  were 
denominated  pistoriae.  In  the  time  of  Augustus, 
there  were  no  fewer  than  3*29  public  bake  houses  in 
Rome :  almost  the  whole  of  which  were  in  the  hands 
of  Greeks,  who  long  continued  the  only  persons  in 
that  city  acquainted  with  the  art  of  baking  good  bread. 

"In  nothing  perhaps  is  this  wise  and  cautious 
policy  of  the  Roman  government  more  remarkably 
displayed,  than  in  the  regulation  which  it  imposed 


140  RECIPES. 

on  the  bakers  within  the  city.  To  the  foreign 
bakers  who  came  to  Rome  with  the  army  from 
Macedonia,  a  number  of  freedmen  were  associated, 
forming  together  an  incorporation  from  which  nei- 
ther they  nor  their  children  could  separate,  and  of 
which  even  those  who  married  the  daughters  of 
bakers  were  obliged  to  become  members.  To  this 
incorporation  were  entrusted  all  the  mills,  utensils, 
slaves,  animals,  every  thing  in  short  which  belonged 
to  former  bake-houses.  In  addition  to  these,  they  re- 
ceived considerable  portions  of  land ;  and  nothing  was 
withheld  which  could  assist  them  in  pursuing  to  the 
best  advantage,  their  highly  prized  labors  and  trade. 

"  The  practice  of  condemning  criminals  and  slaves, 
for  petty  offences,  to  work  in  the  bake-houses,  was 
still  continued  ;  and  even  the  Judges  of  Africa  were 
bound  to  send  thither,  every  five  years,  such  persons 
as  had  incurred  that  kind  of  chastisement.  The 
bake-houses  were  distributed  throughout  the  four- 
teen divisions  of  the  city,  and  no  baker  could  pass 
from  one  into  another  without  special  permission. 
The  public  granaries  were  committed  to  their  care ; 
they  paid  nothing  for  the  corn  employed  in  baking 
bread  that  was  to  be  given  in  largess  to  the  citizens  ; 
and  the  price  of  the  rest  was  to  be  regulated  by  the 
magistrates.  No  corn  was  given  out  of  these  gra- 
naries, except  for  the  bake-houses  and  the  private 
use  of  the  Prince.  The  bakers  had  besides,  private 
granaries,  in  which  they  deposited  the  grain  which 
they  had  taken  from  the  public  granaries  for  imme- 
diate use ;  and  if  any  of  them  happened  to  be  con- 
victed of  having  diverted  any  portion  of  the  grain 


RECIPES.  141 


to  another  purpose,  he  was  condemned  to  a  ruinous 
fine  of  five  hundred  pounds  weight  of  gold. 

"  Most  of  these  regulations  were  soon  introduced 
among  the  Gauls ;  but  it  was  long  before  they  found 
their  way  into  the  more  northern  countries  of  Europe. 
Borrichius  informs  us  that  in  Sweden  and  Norway 
the  only  bread  known,  so  late  as  the  middle  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  was  unleavened  cakes,  kneeded  by 
the  women.  At  what  period  in  our  own  history 
the  art  of  baking  became  a  separate  profession, 
we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain ;  but  this 
profession  is  now  common  to  all  the  countries  m 
Europe,  and  the  process  of  baking  is  also  nearly  the 
same. 

"  The  principal  improvement  which  has  been  made 
on  bread  in  modern  times,  is  the  substitution  of  yeast 
in  the  place  of  common  leaven.  This  yeast  is  the 
viscid  froth  which  rises  to  the  surface  of  beer 
in  the  first  stage  of  fermentation.  When  mixed 
with  the  dough,  it  makes  it  rise  much  more  speedily 
and  effectually  than  ordinary  leaven." — Ure's  Dic- 
tionary of  the  Arts,  Manufactures  and  Mines. 

To  make  Fermented  Bread. — The  first  and  most 
important  rule  to  be  observed,  is,  to  obtain  good 
materials.  And  good  yeast  is  no  less  important  than 
good  flour.  Take  water,  blood  warm,  and  add  the 
required  amount  of  yeast,  say  nearly  a  gill  to  a  large 
loaf,  stir  in  a  little  salt,  and  flour  enough  to  make  a 
stiff  batter,  and  set  it  aside  where  it  will  maintain 
about  the  same  temperature,  and  in  due  time  the 
mass  will  expand  in  every  direction,  until  it  bursts 
and  begins  to  fall.  After  this  process  is  completed, 


142  RECIPES. 


add  the  necessary  amount  of  flour,  salt  and  water,  and 
incorporate  the  whole  by  a  long  and  thorough  kneed- 
ing.  Don't  forget  this.  Then  set  aside  in  a  warm 
place  to  raise,  after  which,  kneed  the  second  time, 
though  less  than  the  first,  and  when  light,  say  double 
the  size  of  the  original,  put  it  into  a  quick  oven,  and 
bake  thoroughly,  but  not  burn  it. 

In  making  so  important  an  article  as  the  "  staff 
of  life,"  it  seems  a  pity  that  any  should  be  deficient 
in  the  art.  But  go  where  you  will,  from  house  to 
house,  you  will  hardly  find  two  places  where  domes- 
'tic  bread  is  alike,  and  not  once  in  a  month  will  you 
find  it  just  right.  How  many  mix  up  barrelful  after 
barrelful  of  flour,  and  yet  never,  in  all  their  life  time, 
make  a  good  loaf.  And  yet  I  believe  that  those 
who  know  the  least,  or  make  the  worst,  have 
the  best  opinion  of  their  bread.  Said  a  distin- 
guished Professor  to  me  while  writing  these  pages, 
"  Tell  them  how  to  make  good  bread,  for  not  one  in  a 
hundred  understands  the  art." 

To  make  Unfermented  Bread. — Take  two  pounds  of 
flour,  one  tea-spoonful  (heaping)  of  Bi  Carbonate  of 
Soda,  mix  them  thoroughly  with  a  wooden  spoon.  Then 
take  one  pint  of  cold  water,  or  as  much  as  may 
be  needed,  and  mix  with  about  one  and  a  half  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  Muriatic  Acid.  Measure  it  in  a  wooden 
spoon,  or  some  glass  or  other  vessel  that  will  not 
corrode.  Gradually  add  this  to  the  flour,  stirring  con- 
stantly, and  form  it  into  loaves  as  quickly  as  possible, 
and  thrust  it  into  a  hot  oven  at  once.  It  will  require 
no  salt,  as  the  union  of  the  acid  and  the  soda  forms 
common  salt  in  the  dough,  and  at  the  same  time 


RECIPES.  143 


gives  off  carbonic  acid  gas,  which  distends  the  doughy 
mass  in  every  direction.  This  bread  often  agrees 
well  with  the  dyspeptic,  and,  by  the  same  process, 
cakes,  pies,  puddings,  apple-dumplings,  &c.,  may  be 
made. 

To  make  Buck-Wheat  Cakes. — Take  four  parts  of 
good  buck-wheat  flour,  Oat  and  Barley  meal  each 
one  part.  Make  a  batter,  add  a  little  salt,  and  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  yeast,  and,  when  light,  bake 
well.  The  addition  of  the  oat  and  barley  meal  is  an 
improvement  so  far  as  health  is  concerned,  and  many 
think  that  the  compound  improves  the  flavor.  But, 
whether  it  does  or  not,  we  had  better  learn  to  love  the 
modification  which  least  disturbs  the  health,  for  all 
hot  cakes,  for  weak  stomachs,  are  little  better  than 
Kidnappers,  and  especially  if  they  float  down  the 
acsophagus  in  a  flood  of  butter  and  honey. 

To  make  a  good  Oven. — To  make  good  bread  it  is 
necessary  to  have  a  good  oven.  The  reader  will 
pardon  a  little  egotism,  as  almost  every  body  likes  to 
tell  of  some  great  thing  that  /  have  done.  At  any 
rate  no  man  can  tell  how  soon  he  may  find  himself 
in  some  ovenless  place,  where  a  few  hints  on  oven- 
making  may  not  come  amiss. 

Well,  being  once  in  such  a  place  myself,  the  truth 
of  the  old  adage,  "  necessity  is  the  mother  of  inven- 
tion," was  fully  realized.  I  had  flour,  but  no  oven. 
How  1  should  get  such  an  apparatus  in  the  wilder- 
ness, was  the  question.  I  resolved  to  try  my  skill  in 
oven-making  and  set  about  it  accordingly.  As  for 
bricks  they  were  out  of  the  question,  and  stones 
suitable  for  such  a  purpose  were  as  scarce.  About 


144  RECIPES. 

one  rod  from  my  cabin  stood  a  mammoth  hemlock 
stump,  a  little  more  than  two  feet  high,  and  very  flat 
on  the  top.  For  the  want  of  a  better,  I  selected  this 
for  the  foundation  of  my  Bakery. 

Fortunately,  not  far  off  there  was  a  mixture  of 
sand  and  clay  of  about  the  right  proportion  for  bricks 
This  I  made  into  mortar,  and  spread  a  layer  of  it 
three  inches  thick,  over  the  stumpy  foundation,  and 
left  it  to  dry.  In  due  time,  I  placed  upon  this  founda- 
tion a  pile  of  chips  and  other  combustibles,  of  the 
size  and  form  which  I  desired  my  oven  to  possess. 
But  as  it  was  difficult  to  make  this  ragged  mass,  or 
wooden  loaf,  sufficiently  smooth,  I  finished  the  pat- 
tern or  core  with  a  covering  of  sand.  And  then  a  lay- 
er of  mortar,  three  or  four  inches  thick,  spread  over  all, 
except  a  space  for  a  door  at  the  end,  completed  the 
masonry. 

After  letting  the  whole  dry,  I  set  fire  to  the  wood  and 
burned  out  the  interior.  This  hardened  the  clay  ; 
and,  as  far  as  good  baking  is  concerned,  I  have  never 
yet  seen  a  better  oven  than  that.  Perhaps  others 
have  done  the  same  thing.  How  that  may  be  I  know 
not.  At  any  rate  the  reader  has  the  recipe,  and,  if  he 
has  plenty  of  flour  and  fuel,  he  need  not  starve.  A 
man  can  have  far  more  comforts,  even  in  the  wilder- 
ness, than  many  suppose,  if  it  is  not  his  own  fault. 

To  make  a  Miniature  Ice-House. — Take  a  large 
hogshead,  or  any  large  cask,  and  knock  out  one 
head  and  set  it  on  the  end,  and  put  inside  of  this, 
another  as  large  as  it  will  admit.  Fill  the  space 
between  the  two  with  any  non-conductor,  like  saw- 
dust, charcoal  dust,  dried  -tan-bark,  &c.  Insert  a 


RECIPES.  145 

small  tube  into  the  bottom,  running  through  both 
casks  to  carry  off  the  water.  Let  the  lower  end  of 
the  tube  turn  up  a  little,  so  that  a  small  quantity  of 
water  will  remain  in  it,  which  will  prevent  a  circu- 
lation of  air  through  the  tube.  Then  filj  the  cask 
with  ice,  and  put  on  the  lid,  and  cover  this  with  old 
flannel,  or  damaged  cotton-batting  which  costs  but  a 
trifle.  The  same  principle  may  be  applied  also  to 
boxes.  The  writer  has  tried  the  casks  and  found 
them  to  answer  a  good  purpose,  and  the  article  used 
for  filling  the  space,  was  damaged  cotton,  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  any  thing  better  can  be  -found.  Of 
course  the  farmer  and  those  who  have  plenty  of 
room,  should  build  on  a  better  and  larger  scale. 

Ice  is  not  only  a  great  luxury,  but  it  is  a  remedial 
agent  of  no  little  importance.  Hence  every  family 
should  have  a  constant  supply  by  night  and  by  day, 
especially  in  hot  weather.  But  it  is  not  only  conve- 
nient and  desirable  to  be  always  well-supplied  with 
this  article,  but  the  plan  suggested  will  be  found  a 
matter  of  economy. 

The  price  paid  for  ice,  as  it  is  served  from  the  carts 
daily  in  small  quantities,  will  average  from  fifty 
cents  to  one  dollar  per  hundred  pounds.  The  waste 
as  it  lies  at  our  doors  is  often  very  considerable. 
The  apparatus  spoken  of  can  be  filled  for  18  to  25 
cents  per  hundred  pounds  in  ordinary  seasons. 

Now  it  will  be  objected  to  perhaps,  on  the  ground 
of  waste.  I  admit  that  there  is  a  greater  waste  in 
two  vessels  than  in  one.  But  no  greater  waste 
whore  the  quantity  of  ice  is  large,  than  where  it  is 
small.  And  the  waste  in  any  apparatus,  well  con- 


146  RECIPES. 

structed,  and  seldom  opened,  is  very  small.  The 
ordinary  refrigerator  would  still  be  needed  for  con- 
venience sake,  and,  with  it,  the  other  need  not  be 
opened  oftener  than  once  in  two  days,  if  the  refriger- 
ator is  of  large  size. 

Many  have  adopted  an  erroneous  conclusion  in 
regard  to  the  waste  of  ice,  supposing  that  it  is  econo- 
my to  buy  a  small  quantity  at  a  time.  It  would  be 
a  wrong  conclusion,  even  if  we  could  buy  it  as  cheap 
by  the  10  Ibs.  as  by  the  500  Ibs.  But  let  me  explain 
this.  Suppose  that  an  ordinary  refrigerator  will 
require  ten  pounds  of  ice  per  day,  to  maintain  a 
temperature  sufficiently  low  to  preserve  its  edibles. 
With  only  this  amount  there  would  be  none  to  spare 
for  other  purposes.  But  if  we  add  another  ten 
pounds,  there  will  be  no  extra  waste,  but  the  balance 
can  be  used  as  may  be  desired.  In  other  words,  ten 
pounds  will  not  give  us  for  our  tables,  one  pound  ; 
whereas  twenty  pounds  will  give  us  ten  ! 

To  preserve  Fruit,  Vegetables,  <$-c. — I  hardly  need 
say  that  all  kinds  of  fruit  and  vegetables,  as  well  as 
animal  food,  may  be  kept  in  an  ice-house  where  the 
temperature  is  constantly  near  the  freezing  point,  and 
not  undergo  any  material  change  for  ages.  True  the 
ordinary  refrigerator  is  not  sufficient  for  a  very 
prolonged  preservation,  as  it  usually  contains  too 
little  ice,  and  is  too  often  exposed  to  the  warm  air. 
But  how  easy  it  is  for  every  farmer  to  have  an  ice- 
house, and  he  will  soon  find  out  that  it  is  for  his 
interest  to  attend  to  it. 

Stores  will  yet  be  made  with  immense  underground 
rooms  for  ice-houses,  from  whence  the  merchant  will 


RECIPES.  147 


bring  out  the  blushing  cherry,  the  refreshing  melon, 
the  luscious  peach,  the  delicious  grape,  and  the  uuri- 
valed  strawberry,  as  a  Christmas  luxury  and  New- 
Year's  temptation.  Here  we  may  have  "  new  laid 
eggs,"  at  all  seasons,  and  green  pease  as  fresh  in  Janua- 
ry as  in  June,  and  green  corn  and  cucumbers  as  perfect 
and  as  cool  out  of  a  snow-bank  in  winter,  as  out  of  a 
garden  in  dog-days.  And  last,  but  not  least,  pota- 
toes as  palatable  in  seed  time  as  in  harvest.  In  this 
way  the  farmer,  too,  can  take  the  advantage  of  good 
prices.  Let  him  fill  his  icy  store-house  with  green 
pease,  corn  and  cucumbers,  grapes,  peaches,  melons, 
&c.,  and  keep  them  till  holidays,  then  let  him  empty 
his  fruit-preserver,  and  fill  it  with  potatoes,  and  his 
pockets  with  the  proceeds.  Indeed  he  has  every 
thing  to  encourage  it.  He  can  have  at  any  favora- 
ble moment,  the  lightning  jobbers  to  whisper,  Come  ! 
And  with  the  steam  to  speed  him  in,  how  can  he 
labor  in  vain  ? 

To  make  Soda-Water. — Take  about  one-fourth  of 
a  tea-spoonful  of  Bi  Carbonate  of  Soda,  and  nearly  the 
same  quantity  of  Tartaric  Acid,  dissolve  each  sep- 
arately in  a  glass  one-third  full  of  water,  sweeten 
with  loaf  sugar,  mix  and  drink  quickly.  This 
makes  a  refreshing,  healthful  drink,  and,  when  the 
materials  are  purchased  by  the  pound,  costs  but  a 
trifle.  Though  less  palatable,  it  is  more  healthful 
when  used  without  sugar,  and  especially  for  the  dys- 
peptic. 

To  make  Tooth-Powder. — Burn  a  crust  of  bread  to 
a  coal,  finely  pulverize  it,  and  keep  it  in  well -stopped 
bottles.  For  the  teeth  and  the  breath  there  is  no 


148  RECIPES. 


better  powder  than  this.  A  little  castile-soap  on  the 
brush,  is  also  good.  It  helps  to  keep  both  the  teeth 
and  the  brush,  clean. 

To  Polish  Metals. — As  some  people  seem  to  be 
more  anxious  to  polish  their  brass,  than  their  ivory,  I 
shall  hardly  be  excused  for  failing  to  give  directions 
for  cleaning  door-knobs,  teapots,  spoons,  &c.  Well, 
take  a  little  Camphene,  (spirits  of  turpentine,)  on  a 
woolen  rag,  with  a  little  rotten-stone,  rub  the  article 
smartly,  and  finish  with  dry  rotten-stone.  There  are 
no  better  polishing  materials  known  than  these.  And 
they  are  both  cheap  and  safe.  Oxalic  acid,  so  often 
used  for  polishing  brass,  copper,  &c.,  is  not  half  as 
good,  and  is  moreover  quite  too  dangerous  an  agent 
to  be  kept  on  the  premises. — (See  Poisons.) 

Substitute  for  hard  work,  or  "  Washing  Liquor" — 
As  the  wash-tub  is  an  excellent  gymnastic  appara- 
tus, perhaps  it  will  be  thought  a  little  strange  that 
any  one  so  much  in  favor  of  exercise,  should  point 
out  any  way  for  dodging  it.  But  it  will  be  remem- 
bered that  I  have  already  spoken  of  the  evil  of  excess, 
and  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  frequently  find  it 
necessary  to  exert  themselves  too  much  for  health,  I 
copy  the  following  recipe.  It  may  be  said  that  this 
has  nothing  to  do  with  health.  Cleanliness  however 
has  as  much  to  do  with  health  as  filthiness  has  with 
disease.  I  should  be  very  unwilling  to  have  the  read- 
er suppose  that  he  has  nothing  to  do  in  preserving 
his  health,  but  to  run  after  doctors,  and  pills,  and 
plasters,  and  powders.  But,  to  come  to  the  point,  I 
must  give  Mr.  Twelvetree's  famous  recipe  for  wash- 
ing, which  he  has  sold,  to  how  many  thousands  I 


RECIPES.  149 


know  not.     It  is  taken  from  the  "Liverpool  Stand- 
ard." 

"  Dissolve  \  Ib.  of  lime  in  boiling  water,  straining 
twice  through  a  flannel  bag;  dissolve  separately  \ 
Ib.  brown  soap,  and  J  Ib.  Sal  Soda — boil  the  three 
together.  Put  six  gallons  of  water  into  the  boiler, 
and,  when  boiling,  add  the  mixture.  The  !'• 
which  must  have  been  steeped  in  cold  water  for  12 
hours,  are  wrung  out,  any  stains  rubbed'  with  soap, 
and  put  into  the  boiler,  where  they  must  boil  for  35 
minutes.  They  are  then  drawn,  (the  liquor  being  pre- 
served as  it  can  be  used  three  times,)  placed  in  a  tub, 
and  clear  boiling  water  poured  over  them.  Rub  them 
out,  rinse  them  well  in  cold  water,  and  they  are  ready 
for  drying.  By  this  process  two-thirds  of  the  ordi- 
nary labor  of  washing  is  saved  ;  bleaching  is  entire- 
ly dispensed  with  ;  the  clothes  are  much  cleaner,  and 
are  less  worn  than  by  the  ordinary  mode  of  washing, 
and  the  mixture  in  no  way  damages  the  fabric." 

Now  this  will  be  found  cheap  washing,  according 
to  the  above  statement,  as  all  the  materials  will  not 
cost  more  than  would  a  sufficient  quantity  of  simple 
soap.  And  as  Mr.  Twelvetree  asks  one  dollar  for 
this  recipe,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  reader  will  not 
complain  of  a  bad  bargain,  even  if  this  should  be 
considered  the  only  receipt  in  the  list  of  any  value, 
although  the  writer  does  not  pretend  that  it  is  worth 
half  the  money.  And,  lest  such  should  be  the  fact, 
I  will  give  another. 


150  RECIPES. 

WASHING    MADE    EASY. 

**  To  the  Editor  of  the  Massachusetts  Cataract. 

"  For  the  benefit  of  the  sisterhood  I  wish  to  com- 
municate the  following  receipt  for  a  washing  mix- 
ture, which  I  have  thoroughly  tested,  and  find  it  to 
save  fully  one-half  of  the  labor  of  washing — to  say 
nothing  of  the  saving  in  other  matters,  such  as 
*  strained  backs,'  *  cross  words/  '  short  dinners,' &c., 
so  common  to  washing  days. 

"  Take  one  pint  of  spirits  of  turpentine,  one  pint 
of  alcohol,  two  ounces  of  Hartshorn,  one  ounce  of 
gum  Camphor — shake  well  together  ;  then,  to  one  qt. 
of  soft  soap,  add  three  table-spoonfuls  of  this  mix- 
ture. Wet  the  clothes  first,  then  soap  them  with  this 
mixture,  lay  them  in  a  tub  and  pour  warm  water  on 
them  ;  let  them  remain  half  an  hour  or  more,  then 
squeeze  them  well  out  of  the  water — soap  them 
again  and  put  on  to  boil,  then  finish  as  usual  by 
rinsing  them,  &c. 

"  I  say  to  all  housewives,  try  the  above  ;  and,  my 
word  for  it,  you  will  soon  consign  the  wash-boards 
and  patent  washing  machines  to  the  flames. 

"  ANNA  J.  L." 

To  Cure  Hams. — Having  given  hints  on  food,  fuel, 
fear,  and  physic,  and  directions  for  cleaning  teeth, 
teapots,  and  tapestry  ;  and  recipes  for  making  bread, 
overfls,  and  ice-houses,  and  as  the  reader  may  be 
Gentile  enough,  by  nature  and  practice,  to  esteem 
nothing  unclean  that  tastes  good,  I  beg  leave 
to  present  a  borrowed  hint,  in  relation  to  curing 
hams,  hoping  that  I  am  not  addressing  a  dyspeptic, 


RECIPES.  151 

as  all  smoked  meats  generally  disagree  so  much  with, 
those  whose  organs  of  digestion  are  impaired,  that 
they  may  as  well  dispense  with  both  curing  and 
eating  them. 

"  The  Prize  Ham  at  the  last  Maryland  Cattle- 
Show" — "  Mrs.  Horsey's  ham  was  cured  by  the  fol- 
lowing recipe.  For  twelve  hams  of  common  size, 
take  eight  Ibs.  of  brown  sugar,  Jib.  crystallized  saltpe- 
tre, and  five  Ibs.  fine  Liverpool  salt.  Rub  well  with 
the  mixture,  and  let  them  be  a  week  in  a  cask  with 
the  skins  down.  Then  make  a  brine,  strong  enough 
to  bear  an  egg,  and  add  two  or  three  quarts  of  ley 
from  hickory  ashes,  refined  by  boiling  and  skimming 
— cover  the  hams  with  the  brine,  and  keep  them  down 
with  a  weight,  and  let  them  remain  in  three  or  four 
weeks.  Then  hang  them  up  in  a  smoke-house,  and, 
after  24  hours,  smoke  with  hickory  wood  until  cured, 
say  six  weeks.  This  ham  was  wrapped  thickly  with 
timothy  hay  before  being  boiled." — The  Plough,  the 
Loom,  and  the  Anril. 

Since  copying  the  above,  I  noticed  in  the  "  Ameri- 
can Artisan"  the  following  method  of  preserving 
this  important  edible. 

"  To  Preserve  Hams:1—"  The  Southern  Cultivator 
notices  some  hams  exhibited  at  the  Georgia  State 
Fair,  which  were  one,  two,  three,  and  four  years  old. 
The  writer  says  the  owner  refused  to  divulge  his  se- 
cret, but  as  we  have  fortunately  become  possessed  of 
it,  we  here  give  it.  Procure  some  good,  clean,  hicko- 
ry ashes,  have  them  perfectly  dry  ;  draw  your  meat 
from  the  pickle  on  a  dry  day ;  sprinkle  the  ashes 
over  the  meat  pretty  thick,  being  careful  not  to 
7* 


152  RECIPES. 


knock  off  more  salt  than  what  must  fall  off ;  then 
hang  up  your  meat  as  high  as  possible  ;  smoke  it 
with  cool  smoke,  made  by  hickory  wood ;  be  sure  to 
take  it  down  before  the  skipper-fly  makes  its  appear- 
ance, being  generally,  in  this  climate,  the  first  of 
March  ;  pack  it  away  on  a  dry  day  in  casks  ;  first, 
a  layer  of  hams  in  perfectly  dry  hickory  ashes  ;  se- 
cond, a  course  of  corn-cobs,  &c.,  cover  your  cask 
snug  and  tight,  and  you  may  rest  easy  about  your 
hams." 

Let  the  meat  be  good,  to  start  with,  and  let  it  be 
well  cured,  well  smoked,  and  well  cooked  ;  and  let 
there  be  withal,  a  sprinkling  of  good  fresh  eggs,  and 
a  few  good  healthy  empty  stomachs,  and  the  hickory 
ashes  and  corn-cobs  can  be  soon  dispensed  with. 

To  Preserve  Fresh  Meat. — Strew  on  the  bottom  of 
a  vessel  a  mixture  of  iron-filings  and  flowers  of  sul- 
phur. Pour  over  these,  fresh  water  which  has  been 
previously  boiled,  to  exclude  the  air.  Immerse  the 
meat,  and  it  will  keep  for  months,  if  the  water  is 
covered  with  a  layer  of  oil  half  an  inch  thick.  So 
says  Dr.  Ure,  who  is  good  authority. 

To  make  Pot-Cheese. — Take  two  parts  of  thicken- 
ed sour  milk,  and  one  part  of  butter-milk — heat 
scalding  hot,  then  take  out  the  curd  with  a  skimmer 
and  hang  it  up  in  a  bag  to  drain.  Then  salt  it,  and 
moisten  it  with  sweet  cream,  make  it  into  balls,  press- 
ing them  hard  in  the  hand — and  keep  them  in  a  cool 
place. 

To  Preserve  Eggs. — Take  new-laid  eggs,  and  im- 
merse them  in  a  solution  of  Gum  Arabic,  let  them 
dry,  and  pack  them  with  the  large  end  down,  in  new- 


RECIPES.  153 

ly  burnt  charcoal,  finely  pulverized,  and  they  will 
keep  a  year.  They  may  also  be  kept  in  good  condi- 
tion, and  for  a  long  time,  in  lime-water. 

To  make  Jenny  Lind  Cake. — Take  of  flour  and 
sugar  each  one  pound,  good  sweet  butter,  half  pound, 
four  fresh  eggs,  thoroughly  beaten,  one  lemon,  grate 
in  the  peel,  and  strain  in  the  juice,  half  a  cup  of  milk 
in  which  a  small  lump  of  saleratus  is  dissolved. 
Add  raisins  or  currants,  if  desired.  Thoroughly  in- 
corporate the  whole,  and  bake. 

With  the  Nightingale's  sweet  voice  to  sharpen 
the  appetite  and  aid  digestion,  the  above  cake,  if 
well  made,  will  probably  be  very  acceptable  to  all 
but  the  dyspeptic  :  but  we  think  the  condiment  will 
eclipse  the  cake.  However  this  may  be,  we  will 
not  trouble  the  reader  with  any  more  cookery,  tak- 
ing it  for  granted  that  every  house- wife,  either  has, 
or  will  of  course  obtain  at  once,  the  ** AMERICAN  LADY'S 
COOK  BOOK." 

To  Prevent  Disease. — Eat  plain  food — drink  pure 
water — breathe  good  air — live  a  stirring  life — retire 
and  rise  early — avoid  all  extremes — keep  the  mind 
cheerful — the  body  clean,  and  sufficiently  clad — the 
conscience  void  of  offence,  and  temptations  at  bay. 


POISONS  AND  THEIR  ANTIDOTES. 

It  often  happens  that  poisons  are  accidentally  or 
designedly  swallowed,  whose  influence  should  be 
neutralized  instantly.  And  hence  the  importance 
of  being  prepared  to  administer  understandingly  and 
promptly  an  antidote,  if  any  be  known. 

ACIDS. 

In  the  majority  of  cases  of  poisoning,  the  leading 
indication  is  free  vomiting  as  soon  as  possible.  But 
there  are  some  articles  whose  action  is  so  rapid  that 
it  might  be  fatal  to  wait  for  emetics.  Such  are  all 
the  powerful  acids.  Poisoning  by  the  following 
mineral  acids,  Nitric  Acid  (Aqua  Fortis),  Hydro- 
chloric Acid  (Muriatic  Acid),  and  Sulphuric  Acid 
(Oil  of  Vitriol),  may  be  treated  with  Magnesia,  chalk, 
or  whiting  mixed  with  water,  and  swallowed  imme- 
diately. After  this,  much  treatment  may  be  required 
to  subdue  the  inflammation  in  the  throat  and 
stomach,  which  will  naturally  follow.  Vegetable 
acids  will  be  noticed  when  we  speak  of  vegetable 
poisons. 

ARSENIC. 

This  agent  has  long  been  used  for  sending  man  to 
an  untimely  grave.  But  although  an  active  poison, 
which  should  be  narrowly  watched,  yet  its  fatal 
effects  are  less  rapid  than  those  which  follow  the  use 
of  either  of  the  articles  above  named,  and  less  cer- 
tain. A  man  may  take  at  a  single  dose,  enough  to 


POISONS   AND   THEIR   ANTIDOTES.  155 

kill  a  dozen  men,  and  not  be  injured  in  the  legist. 
These  large  doses  often  operate  as  an  emetic,  which 
saves  the  man's  life.  Whenever  taken  in  a  danger- 
ous quantity,  it  is  important  to  induce  instant  vomit- 
ing. The  antidote  is  Hydrated  Per  Oxide  of  Iron. 
But  as  a  physician  will  be  required,  and  can  gene- 
rally be  obtained  as  soon  as  the  remedy,  I  need  not 
give  a  detail  of  the  necessary  proceedings. 

CORROSIVE    SUBLIMATE. 

This  is  another  active  poison,  which  not  unfre- 
quently  produces  fatal  effects.  But  it  has  a  certain 
antidote :  and,  what  is  still  more  important,  a  reme- 
dy that  is  easily  and  safely  administered,  and  almost 
always  at  hand.  There  is  nothing  better  than  the 
white  of  an  egg.  Take  two  or  three  and  mix  them 
with  water  and  drink  them.  But  it  should  be  known 
that  common  wheat  flour  will  answer  the  same  pur- 
pose, mixed  with  cold  water. 

COPPER. 

Although  harmless  in  a  metallic  state,  yet  nearly 
all  the  compounds  of  copper  are  poisonous.  And  it 
sometimes  happens  that  whole  families  are  severely 
affected  by  an  improper  use  of  copper  vessels ;  and 
it  is  frequently  done  by  eating  pickles  which  have 
been  kept  in  such  vessels  to  give  them  a  rich  green 
color.  It  may  be  well  to  remember  that,  the  greener 
the  color  the  more  poisonous  the  pickle  !  It  is  copper 
in  solution  which  enters  into  the  cucumber  that  gives 
it  the  fresh  green  tinge.  One  would  suppose  that 
pickles  were  bad  enough  for  the  digestive  organs 


156  POISONS   AND   THEIR   ANTIDOTES. 

without  being  poisoned!  But  the  eye  must  be 
gratified,  let  it  cost  what  it  will,  as  well  as  the 
palate.  Whenever  it  is  suspected  that  a  poisonous 
dose  of  any  of  the  compounds  of  copper  has  been 
taken,  the  antidotes  for  corrosive  sublimate,  which 
have  been  named,  will  be  the  proper  remedies  in 
such  cases  also. 

LEAD. 

The  preparations  of  Lead,  are  also  for  the  most  part 
energetic  poisons.  It  is  well  known  that  painters 
often  suffer  from  that  disease  called  Painter's  Colic 
(Colica  Pictonum),  which  is  produced  by  the  poison- 
ous exhalations  of  Lead.  As  this  disease  comes  on 
gradually  and  requires  the  aid  of  the  physician,  I 
will  not  trouble  the  reader  with  any  remarks  upon 
it.  And  especially  as  it  is  more  my  object  to  fortify 
him  against  the  necessity  of  any  medical  treatment, 
than  to  present  remedies  and  antidotes.  But  the 
remedy  for  poisonous  doses  of  Lead  may  be  either 
Glauber  Salts  (Sulphate  of  Soda),  or  Epsom  Salts 
(Sulphate  of  Magnesia),  or  Sulphate  of  Potash.  A 
double  decomposition  will  immediately  follow.  For 
example,  if  Sugar  of  Lead  (Acetate  of  Lead)  be  the 
poisonous  compound,  and  Glauber  Salts  (Sulph.  of 
Soda),  be  the  antidote,  the  Sulphuric  Acid  will  leave 
the  Soda  and  go  over  to  the  Lead,  and  at  the  same 
time,  the  acetic  acid  will  leave  the  Lead  and  unite 
with  the  Soda.  And  hence,  we  shall  have  formed  in 
the  living  laboratory,  Sulphate  of  Lead,  which  is 
insoluble,  and  therefore  inert,  and  Acetate  of  Soda, 


POISONS   AND   THEIR   ANTIDOTES.  157 

which  is  a  mild  laxative,  and  just  what  the  patient 
needs. 

House-keepers  should  bear  in  mind,  that  the 
glazing  of  ordinary  brown  earthen-ware  contains  a 
preparation  of  Lead,  which  is  affected  by  acids,  and 
consequently  these  vessels  are  unfit  for  milk-pans, 
preserve-pots,  and  almost  every  thing  else. 

It  is  often  common  to  put  shot  into  glass  bottles, 
to  clean  them ;  and  they  are  shaken  about  until  the 
bottle  is  almost  glazed  with  lead  ;  and,  when  emptied, 
some  of  the  shot  frequently  remain  within.  Now,  if 
people  would  bear  in  mind,  that  shot  contain  arsenic 
as  well  as  lead,  perhaps  they  would  be  a  little  more 
cautious  in  such  operations. 

We  will  now  turn  our  attention  for  a  moment  to 
vegetable  poisons,  and  one  of  the  most  important  and 
useful,  if  not  abused  is 

OPIUM. 

Of  all  the  poisons  which  are  used  for  self-destruction, 
this,  in  its  various  forms,  probably  stands  at  the  head 
of  the  catalogue.  Strictly  speaking,  this  article  has 
no  antidote  yet  discovered.  The  first  and  great  thing 
to  be  done  is,  to  get  it  out  of  the  stomach,  if  a 
poisonous  dose  has  been  swallowed.  In  domestic 
practice,  a  dessert-spoonful  of  flour  of  mustard  in  a 
glass  of  water  may  be  given  at  once,  arid  vomiting 
promoted  by  tickling  the  throat  with  the  end  of  the 
finger  or  with  a  feather.  If  the  patient  becomes 
stupid,  rouse  him  by  exercising  him  up  and  down 
the  room  between  two  men.  Pour  a  steady  stream 
of  cold  water  from  a  pail  or  pitcher  upon  his  head 


158  POISONS    AND   THEIR   ANTIDOTES. 

and  chest,  and  let  it  fall  four  or  five  feet.  This  is 
of  great  service  and  should  never  be  neglected.  It 
helps  materially  to  rouse  the  patient  and  promotes 
the  operation  of  the  emetic,  which  it  is  often  im- 
possible to  effect.  Mustard  may  be  applied  to  the 
legs  and  feet,  and  artificial  respiration  should  be 
vigorously  kept  up  if  necessary.  To  effect  this, 
make  firm  pressure  with  both  hands  on  the  front  part 
of  the  chest,  and  remove  the  pressure  about  as  fre- 
quently as  we  naturally  breathe.  Strong  coffee  is 
of  some  service  after  the  patient  begins  to  recover. 
But  a  physician  should  be  obtained  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. 

Nux  Vomica,  Tobacco,  Henbane  (Hyoscyamus 
Niger),  Foxglove  (Digitalis  Purpurea),  Deadly 
Nightshade  (Atropa  Belladonna),  Common  Thorn 
Apple  (Datura  Stramonium),  Wolf's  Bane  (Aconite) 
Hemlock  (Conium  Maculatum),  and  Indian  Tobacco 
(Lobelia  Inflata),  are  all  active  poisons,  taken  in 
large  doses,  for  which  no  antidote  has  been  discovered. 
The  treatment  should  be  very  much  the  same  as  the 
last  described ;  except  that  Lobelia  and  Tobacco 
will  need  no  emetic,  as  they  have  a  powerful  nau- 
seating quality  and  may  produce  too  much  vomit- 
ing. After  the  stomach  has  been  sufficiently  evacu- 
ated, let  the  patient  drink  freely  of  a  strong  infusion 
of  Green  Tea,  and  use  friction  over  the  chest  and 
spine,  &c. 

PRUSSIC  ACID — (HYDROCYANIC  ACID). 

It  is  well  known  that  this  is  one  of  the  most  ener- 
getic poisons  which  has  yet  been  discovered,  and 


POISONS   AND   THEIR   ANTIDOTES.  159 

more  rapidly  fatal  in  its  effects  than  either  of  the 
agents  which  have  been  noticed.  Indeed,  so  prompt 
is  its  action,  that  patients  are  often  supposed  to 
be  dead  before  any  thing  can  be  done.  But  this 
is,  however,  frequently  more  apparent  than  real. 
Its  effects  seem  to  be  somewhat  analogous  to  the 
effects  of  electricity  or  lightning,  and  the  treatment 
which  is  found  to  be  adapted  to  one  case,  is  also 
more  or  less  proper  in  the  other.  Pouring  cold 
water  upon  the  head  and  chest,  as  noticed  under  the 
head  of  Opium,  and  artificial  respiration  must 
never  be  neglected. 

OXALIC  ACID. 

This  agent  which  is  found  both  in  the  animal  and 
vegetable  kingdom,  is  more  prompt  in  its  action  on 
the  system  than  any  which  has  been  noticed,  except 
the  last.  Indeed,  patients  seldom  survive  an  hour 
after  taking  a  poisonous  dose.  Although  so  destruc- 
tive in  its  operation,  it  is  often  kept  about  the  house 
by  domestics  and  others  for  cleaning  brass,  copper, 
&c.  Its  strong  resemblance  to  Epsom  Salts,  has 
often  led  to  fatal  mistakes.  If  it  were  suspected, 
however,  it  is  easily  detected  as  it  is  intensely  sour, 
while  Salts  are  rather  bitter.  But  people  do  not 
always  stop  to  test  the  article  which  they  swallow. 
Its  antidotes  are  Magnesia,  wrhich  is  the  best ;  also 
Chalk  and  Whiting.  Mix  with  water  and  drink  in- 
stantly. After  this,  use  some  bland  drink,  like  flax- 
seed-tea,  gum- water,  slippery-elm,  &c. 


t 


160  POISONS    AND   THEIR    ANTIDOTES. 

CARBONIC    ACID    GAS. 

Many  are  suddenly,  unexpectedly,  and  uncon- 
sciously poisoned  by  inhaling  this  gas.  It  fre- 
quently exists  in  dry  wells,  in  caves,  in  mines,  and 
other  places.  It  is  often  called  by  miners,  "  Choke 
damp?  and  is  also  known  by  the  name  of  "fixed  air." 
To  a  very  limited  extent  it  is  a  constitutent  of  the 
atmosphere ;  and  is  often  evolved  from  the  earth  in, 
large  quantities;  especially  in  volcanic  countries. 
It  is  generally  a  product  of  combustion,  always  of 
respiration,  and  frequently  of  decomposition,  as  in 
fermentation,  &c.,  and  is  the  essential  agent  which 
distends  the  doughy  mass,  giving  us  light  bread, 
whether  leaven,  or  yeast,  or  sour-milk  and  saleratus, 
or  any  other  acid  and  alkali  be  used.  It  is  also  the 
principal  agent  which  gives  value  to  the  well  known 
and  highly  esteemed  " Soda  Water" 

One  cubic  yard  of  Marble  (Carbonate  of  Lime) 
contains  according  to  Mr.  De  la  Beche,  16,000  cubic 
feet  of  this  gas :  enough  to  poison  a  regiment  of 
men  if  set  free  in  a  proper  place.  It  is  an  interesting 
fact  and  worthy  of  notice,  that  this  agent  is  perfectly 
harmless  and  even  healthful  when  taken  into  the 
stomach,  and  yet  when  inhaled  in  any  considerable 
quantity  will  destroy  life  quicker  than  would  a  rifle- 
ball  to  pass  through  any  part  of  your  body,  with 
very  few  exceptions. 

This  gas  is  heavier  than  the  atmosphere,  and 
consequently  may  remain  a  long  time  in  deep  cavi- 
ties ;  and  hence  the  danger  of  descending  into  deep 


POISONS   AND   THEIR   ANTIDOTES.  161 

wells  and  caverns,  where  any  cause  has  operated  to 
set  it  free. 

UPAS. 

The  celebrated  "  Valley  of  Poison,"  in  Java,  des- 
cribed by  Loudon,  is  a  spot  where  it  escapes  from 
the  earth  on  a  large  scale.  "  It  is  a  cavity  of  an 
oval  form,  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  circum- 
ference, and  from  thirty  to  thirty-five  feet  deep; 
filled  to  the  height  of  about  eighteen  feet  with  car- 
bonic acid  gas.  The  bottom  of  it  is  covered  with 
the  skeletons  of  men  and  various  other  animals  who 
have  fallen  victims  to  its  destructive  operation.  If  a 
traveller  should  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  enter  it,  he 
cannot  be  sensible  of  his  danger  until  too  late  to 
return.  Mr.  Loudon  thrust  a  dog  in ;  he  fell  in  four- 
teen seconds.  A  fowl  thrown  in,  appeared  to  be 
dead  before  it  reached  the  ground  !" — (Pereira's  Mat. 
Med.  Vol.  L  p.  301.) 

PRECAUTION. 

To  avoid  the  risk  of  suffering  from  this  agent,  all 
persons  before  they  descend  into  low  and  untried 
places,  such  as  dry  wells,  vaults,  mines,  brewer's 
vats,  and  all  doubtful  places,  should  first  let  down  a 
lighted  candle.  If  it  burns  brightly  on  the  bottom,  for 
any  considerable  time,  you  may  safely  enter.  If  it 
goes  out,  you  will  do  well  to  keep  out,  until  the 
candle  says  go !  It  will  tell  no  lies.  Neither  do  I 
say  any  more  than  is  strictly  true,  when  I  affirm 
that  if  you  venture  and  stay  long,  where  the  candle 
will  not  burn,  you  don't  come  out  altve  without  help  i 


162  POISONS    AND   THEIR    ANTIDOTES. 

And  if  any  man  descends  to  help  you  out,  he  will 
probably  stay  there  too  ! 

WORSE    THAN    VIPERS. 

Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  not  a  few  cease  to 
breathe  under  the  influence  of  this  treacherous 
poison,  while  they  never  suspect  their  danger,  by 
burning  charcoal  in  their  sleeping  apartments  in  cold 
weather.  A  man  had  better  sleep  in  a  den  of  vipers. 
It  is  far  enough  from  being  safe  when  one  is  awake, 
and  perfectly  aware  of  its  effects.  A  case  to  the 
point  which  once  happened  in  a  certain  town,  and 
which  was  known  to  the  writer,  I  beg  leave  to  pre- 
sent, as  an  illustration  of  the  fact  which  I  wish  to 
enforce. 

A  WARNING  VOICE. 

A  man  who  was  a  mason  by  trade,  had  in  his 
house,  in  which  he  lived,  an  unfinished  room,  which 
he  undertook  to  lath  and  plaster  in  very  cold  wea- 
ther. Having  neither  fireplace  nor  stove  in  said 
room,  he  took  in  a  kettle  of  ignited  charcoal  to  keep 
the  walls  from  freezing.  He  was  perfectly  aware 
that  the  consequences  of  remaining  long  in  the  room 
might  be  serious,  yet  he  thought  he  could  safely 
work  on,  till  he  felt  some  unpleasant  symptom.  On 
the  approach  ef  the  first  unusual  sensation,  he 
started  for  the  door,  but  fell  senseless  on  the  floor 
before  he  reached  it,  and  would  have  been  a  dead 
man  in  less  than  five  minutes,  if  his  family  had  not 
heard  him  fall,  and  rushed  in  and  dragged  him 
out.  • 


POISONS    AND   THEIR   ANTIDOTES.  163 

TREATMENT. 

Nothing  can  be  done  to  any  advantage,  in  a  case 
of  poisoning  from  this  gas,  unless  it  is  done  quickly. 
Yet  it  has  happened  that  valuable  lives  might  have 
been  saved,  if  the  proper  means  for  resuscitation  had 
been  used.  The  same  thing  may  happen  again. 
The  first  thing  to  be  done  after  bringing  the  patient 
into  good  air,  is,  to  pour  cold  water  on  his  head  and 
chest,  as  before  described,  and  keep  up  artificial 
respiration  until  the  patient  revives,  or  hope  dies. 

SUFFOCATION    OR    STRANGULATION. 

In  all  cases  of  suspended  respiration,  whether  from 
hanging,  drowning,  or  any  cause  whatsoever,  which 
prevents  the  air  from  passing  to  and  from  the  lungs, 
very  much  the  same  effects  are  produced,  as  those 
above  noticed.  The  latter  persons  may  with  as 
much  propriety  be  said  to  be  poisoned,  as  the  for- 
mer, and  need  the  same  treatment.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  this  poisonous  gas  is  a  product  of 
respiration,  and  is  the  same  deadly  agent  in  essence, 
as  that  found  in  the  fumes  of  burning  charcoal,  and 
when  sufficiently  accumulated,  will  produce  the  same 
results. 

IMPORTANT   CHANGE. 

The  blood,  which  is  the  circulating  medium  of  all 
nourishment  to  the  body,  undergoes  a  two- fold  and 
vitally  important  change  as  it  passes  through  the 
lungs,  at  every  breath. 

It  is  there  changed  from  venous  or  black  blood, 


164  POISONS    AND    THETR    ANTIDOTES. 

to  arterial  or  red  blood,  by  giving  off  a  portion  of 
carbon,  and  receiving  an  equal  amount  of  oxygen. 
Hence,  whatever  suspends  the  function  of  respira- 
tion, prevents  the  escape  of  this  carbonic  acid,  which 
remains  in  the  blood,  and  acts  upon  the  brain  like 
a  narcotic  poison  ;  so  that  we  may  say  when  a  man 
cannot  breathe,  he  is  poisoned  from  within — and 
when  he  inhales  impure  air,  he  is  poisoned  from 
without.  In  either  case,  the  treatment  is  very  much 
the  same,  except  that  a  drowned  man  will  not  need 
the  cold  douche.  He  has  had  too  much  of  that 
already.  Therefore  give  him  artificial  heat  as  soon 
as  possible,  to  promote  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 
and  artificial  respiration  to  promote  the  purification 
of  that  fluid. 

MISTAKEN  VIEW. 

But  away  with  that  miserable  practice  of  rolling 
and  tumbling  the  patient  about  on  barrels  and  tubs. 
But  it  is  said  that  this  must  be  done  "  to  get  the 
water  out  of  him."  Let  Ihe  water  alone,  after  you 
pull  the  man  out  of  it,  and  wipe  him  dry.  The  man 
is  poisoned  !  Not  by  water,  but  by  one  of  the  consti- 
tuents of  the  atmosphere.  Therefore  drive  out  the 
bad  air,  and  drive  in  the  good,  as  fast  as  possible, 
until  the  man  is  able  to  breathe  without  your  h'elp, 
and  then  he  will  take  care  of  the  water  himself,  and 
probably  keep  out  of  it  next  time,  if  he  can. 

POISONING    FROM    DECOMPOSITION. 

Most  of  the  diseases  which  affect  our  race,  may 
with  great  propriety  be  said  to  be  only  the  effects 


POISONS    AND    THEIR    ANTIDOTES.  165 

of  poisoning.  If  a  man  has  Small  Pox,  Mumps, 
Measles,  Scrofula,  Consumption,  Dysentery,  Cholera, 
Plague — Typhus,  Yellow,  Scarlet,  or  any  other  fever, 
he  has  been  poisoned.  Some  are  poisoned  by  the 
food  they  eat,  others  by  the  water  they  drink ;  but 
more  by  the  air  they  breathe.  I  have  spoken  of 
the  importance  of  pure  air  in  another  place. — (See 
Vent.)  I  wish  here  to  say  a  word  respecting  the 
danger  and  disastrous  consequences  which  may  and 
do  arise  from  the  decomposition  of  a  few  simple 
vegetables  in  our  dwellings. 

A  striking  and  melancholy  illustration  of  the  doc- 
trine now  under  consideration  is  found  in  a  case 
which  happened  a  few  years  since  in  one  of  our 
country  towns. 

LOOK  WELL  TO  YOUR  CELLAR. 

A  physician  was  called  to  see  a  patient  who 
appeared  to  be  prostrated  with  a  fever  of  no  ordi- 
nary malignancy.  He  failed  not  to  bring  into  requi- 
sition every  remedy  which  the  case  seemed  to  indi- 
cate. And  with  the  utmost  solicitude  and  care  did 
he  exert  himself  to  stay  the  ravages  of  the  disease. 
But  all  in  vain. 

The  physician  who  spent  his  life  to  lengthen  out 
the  lives  of  others  (a  fact  not  half  appreciated  by 
the  community),  was  in  pain  to  know  the  cause  of 
such  a  terrible  calamity.  And  as  there  was  no 
disease  in  the  neighborhood  that  resembled  it,  and 
being  a  man  of  common  sense,  he  naturally  suspected 
that  there  was  some  hidden  manufactory  of  death 
about  the  premises.  But  on  making  inquiry,  was  told 


166  POISONS    AND    THEIR    ANTfDOTES. 

that  all  was  right,  and  for  a  time,  the  case  remained 
a  mystery.  Soon  however,  one  and  another  were 
stricken  down,  producing  the  most  alarming  appre- 
hensions, and  threatening  the  destruction  of  the 
entire  household.  The  medical  gentleman  now  de- 
termined to  search  the  premises  from  top  to  bottom, 
as  for  a  deadly  viper,  and  with  candle  in  hand  com- 
menced in  the  cellar,  (the  most  suspicious  spot,)  and 
there  he  soon  found  stowed  away  in  some  dark  cor- 
ner, a  few  rotten  potatoes !  On  removing  these  and 
ventilating  the  house,  the  survivors  escaped  the  jaws 
of  death. 

BE  NOT  DECEIVED. 

Before  dismissing  this  subject,  I  would  remark, 
that  in  all  cases  of  Epidemics,  no  matter  what  the 
disease,  nor  what  the  pestiferous  agent ;  it  becomes 
doubly  important  that  every  dwelling  should  be  kept 
as  pure  as  possible ;  for  with  an  infected  air  without, 
and  a  poisoned  air  within,  we  can  hardly  expect  to 
escape  sudden  destruction. 

ALWAYS    NEEDFUL. 

But  let  none  suppose  that  because  it  is  a  general 
time  of  health,  no  caution  in  this  respect  is  needful. 
A  greater  error  could  not  well  exist.  What !  is  it 
not  just  as  bad  to  rush  madly  into  the  jaws  of  death 
at  a  time  of  great  salubrity,  as  to  become  a  victim 
of  some  terrible  pestilence  ? 


POISONS    AN»    THEIR    AUTTIDOTES.  167 


VEGETABLE  WORSE  THAN  ANIMAL  POISON. 

What  sighs  and  sufferings,  what  tears  and  groans, 
what  agony  and  death,  might  have  been  prevented, 
if,  in  the  case  above,  the  physician  had  early  pointed 
out  the  enemy  and  his  warning  had  been  fully 
heeded.  But  had  he  thus  fully  exposed  the  pestilen- 
tial agent,  such  is  the  tendency  to  indifference,  and 
incredulity,  that,  ten  chances  to  one,  if  he  had  not 
been  forgotten  in  two  hours,  or  his  warning  voice 
considered  more  as  the  offspring  of  superstition  than 
the  fruits  of  scientific  investigation,  and  a  sincere 
regard  for  the  welfare  of  his  fellow-men.  What 
say  you,  reader,  will  you  ever  drive  from  your  dwell- 
ing, a  single  rotten  potatoe  in  consequence  of  this 
hint  ?  If  not,  remember,  still  that  I  tell  you  one 
thing,  that  you  have  more  to  fear  from  a  peck  of 
vegetables  in  a  state  of  decomposition  in  an  ill-venti- 
lated apartment,  than  from  the  rotten  carcase  of  the 
largest  Elephant  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

The  subject  of  poisons,  being  full  of  interest, 
demands  a  much  more  perfect  examination  than  the 
limits  of  this  work  will  admit.  The  eye  poisons 
some.  The  hand  poisons  others.  But  the  palate  and 
the  pocket  poisons  more  than  alt.  One  man  assumes  * 
the  right  to  poison  himself  and  others.  And  another 
is  licensed  to  poison  a  whole  nation  at  once.  The 
remedy  for  those  who  scatter  the  bane,  is  a  good 
conscience.  The  antidote  for  those  who  are  exposed 
to  its  destructive  influence,  total  abstinence.  And 
for  those  who  legalize  it,  a  little  more  common 


MENTAL  POISON. 

Under  this  head  might  be  presented  many  forms 
and  phases  of  mental  poisoning  of  great  interest 
and  importance  ;  bringing  to  light  the  bane,  por- 
traying the  disastrous  effects ;  and  proclaiming  the 
safe  and  proper  antidote.  But  on  this  point,  the  wri- 
ter begs  leave  to  say  little ;  for  the  time  has  not  yet 
come,  when  the  multitude  will  endure  sound  doctrine. 
Nevertheless,  a  disordered  imagination  may  work 
out  both  goo d  and  bad  results  physically. 

PERKINISM. 

To  illustrate  the  truth  of  the  former  result,  I  will 
for  a  moment  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to 
" Perkinism"  The  influence  of  this  wonderful  dis- 
covery, may  be  regarded  as  a  pretty  fair  type  of  that 
which  is  produced  by  the  introduction  of  other  modern- 
"  isms"  and  model-"  knocking  s" 

Although  an  indigenous  plant,  yet  in  the  fertile  soil 
of  a  disordered  imagination,  it  flourished  for  a  time 
in  other  climes.  Professor  Dunglison  in  his  "  Phy- 
siology," gives  a  brief  and  interesting  sketch  of  its 
"marvelous  history  as  follows  : — 

"  Perkinism,  it  is  well  known,  is  the  product  of  our 
own  soil.  Its  proposer,  Dr.  Elisha  Perkins  of  Connec- 
ticut, is  represented  to  have  been  a  man  of  strict  honor 
and  integrity  ;  but  manifestly  of  an  ardent"  (better 
said  disordered)  "  imagination,  and  unbounded  cre- 
dulity. Impressed  with  the  idea  that  metallic  sub- 
stances might  exert  some  agency  on  the  muscles  and 


DISORDERED    IMAGINATION.  169 

nerves  of  animals,  and  be  inservient  to  useful  pur- 
poses as  external  agents,  in  the  treatment  of  disease, 
he  professed  to  institute  various  experiments  until  he 
ultimately  fancied  he  had  discovered  a  composition, 
which  would  serve  his  purpose,  and  of  which  he  formed 
his  *  Metallic  Tractors.1 

"  These  consisted  of  two  instruments  ;  one  having 
the  appearance  of  steel,  and  the  other  of  brass.  They 
were  about  three  inches  long,  and  pointed  at  one 
extremity  ;  and  the  mode  of  their  application  was  to 
draw  the  points  over  the  affected  parts,  in  a  down- 
ward direction,  for  about  twenty-five  minutes  each 
time.  The  effects  seemed  to  be  miraculous.  The 
whole  class  of  diseases  on  which  the  imagination  is 
known  to  exert  its  efficacy ;  rheumatism  ;  local  pains 
of  various  kinds,  and  in  various  parts;  paroxysms 
of  intermittents,  &c.  &c.,  yielded  as  if  by  magic.  The 
operation  was  termed  Perkinism,  by  the  Faculty  of 
Copenhegan,  in  honor  of  the  discoverer ;  and  insti- 
tutions were  formed  in  Great  Britain,  and  elsewhere, 
which  were,  for  a  time,  regarded  as  sources  for  the 
dispensation  of  health  to  multitudes  of  wretched 
sufferers. 

"  Yet  in  a  very  brief  space  of  time,  the  enthusiasm 
and  the  institutions  died  away  ;  and  no  one  at  the 
present  day  believes  that  the  effect  was  any  thing 
more  than  an  additional  case  showing  the  success 
that  must  ever  follow  for  a  time,  the  efforts  of  quacke- 
ry ;  and  exhibiting  the  total  failure  of  the  same 
agen's  when  deprived  of  the  mystery  that  had  pre- 
viously enthralled  them."  Pity  that  their  credui:ty 
was  ever  disturbed* 


170  DISORDERED    IMAGINATION. 

"  While  the  delusion  regarding  Perkinism  or 
'  Tracto  'atiorf  was  at  its  height,  DR.  HAYGARTH,  de- 
termined to  ascertain  how  far  the  effects  could  be 
ascribed  to  the  power  of  the  imagination.  He  ac- 
cordingly formed  pieces  of  wood  into  the  shape  of 
Tractors,  and  with  much  assumed  pomp  and  cere- 
mony, applied  them  to  a  number  of  sick  persons  who 
had  been  previously  prepared  to  expect  something  ex- 
traordinary. He  not  only  employed  them  in  nervous 
diseases,  but  in  all  kinds  of  cases  ;  and  the  effects 
were  found  to  be  most  astonishing.  Obstinate  pains 
of  the  limbs  were  suddenly  cured.  Joints  that  had 
long  been  immovable,  were  restored  to  motion,  and, 
in  short,  says  DR.  BOSTOCK,  except  the  renewal  of 
lost  parts,  or  the  change  of  mechanical  structure, 
nothing  seemed  beyond  their  power  to  accomplish." 

DISASTROUS    INNOVATION. 

Although  here  is  a  statement  of  undeniable  facts, 
yet  I  hope  the  reader  will  be  so  good  as  not  to  ask 
me  whether  I  suppose  that  the  doctor  was  ever  as 
successful  in  the  administration  of  remedies  inter- 
nally, however  potent.  Don't  be  too  inquisitive. 
At  any  rate,  it  would  seem  that  a  disordered  imagi- 
nation had  a  most  happy  effect  on  the  body,  and  it  is 
a  pity  that  Dr.  Haygarth  ever  thought  of  venturing 
upon  an  innovation. 

CHOKED  BY  FANCY,  CURED  BY  RIDICULE. 

"  A  lady  once  fancied  that  she  had  stricture  of  the 
apsophagus,"  (partial  closure  of  the  pipe  leading  to 
the  stomach,)  "  which  rendered  it  very  difficult  for  her 


DISORDERED    IMAGINATION.  171 

to  swallow  her  food.  The  difficulty  went  on,  increa- 
sing from  day  to  day,  until  she  was  altogether  unable 
to  swallow  any  solid  food,  and  was  obliged  to  confine 
herself  to  broths  and  other  liquid  nourishment.  In  pro- 
cess of  time,  the  stricture  became  so  close  that  she 
could  swallow  nothing  but  water,  and  even  that  with 
the  greatest  difficulty.  She  had  of  course  become 
greatly  emaciated  for  want  of  nourishment,  and  she  al- 
most despaired  of  her  life.  Every  physician  of  the 
neighborhood  had  been  consulted.  Some  ridiculed  her 
complaint  as  being  entirely  imaginary.  Others  had 
proposed  various  plans  of  treatment  which  she  had 
faithfully  followed,  but  they  were  all  ineffectual. 
At  last  she  had  an  opportunity  of  consulting  a  phy- 
sician of  great  eminence,  and  in  whom  she  was  led 
to  place  implicit  confidence.  She  told  him  that  she 
was  entirely  well  in  every  respect  but  in  the  closure  of 
her  throat ;  and  if  it  were  possible  to  find  any  nu- 
tritive substance  as  thin  as  water,  or  thinner  than 
water,  so  that  she  could  swallow  it,  she  thought  she 
might  ultimately  recover.  If  not,  she  must  infallibly 
die  of  starvation.  The  doctor,  after  a  moment's  de- 
liberation, told  her  that  he  thought  he  could  propose 
a  kind  of  food  which  would  be  exactly  suited  to  her 
case.  The  directions  were  given  as  follows  : 

IMPORTANT    PRESCRIPTION. 

"Take  a  large  kettle  which  holds  at  least  ten  gal- 
lons ;  fill  it  brim-full  of  water,  and  hang  it  over  the 
fire  in  such  a  position  that  the  rays  of  the  sun  en- 
tering at  the  window  may  fall  upon  the  surface  of 
the  water.  Then  hang  in  the  window  a  lean,  starved 


172  DISORDERED    IMAGINATION. 

crow,  so  that  the  shadow  may  fall  on  the  water  in 
the  kettle.  Boil  for  four  hours  and  make  soup  of  the 
shadow.  The  lady  immediately  burst  into  a  loud  fit 
of  immoderate  laughter,  called  for  a  beef  steak,  which 
she  ate  with  avidity,  and  was  no  more  troubled  with 
stricture  of  the  aesophagus  !" 

Another  case  which  I  now  present,  to  show  physi- 
cal effect  from  mental  agency,  more  fully  prevents 
the  supposition  of  deception  on  the  part  of  the  pa- 
tient, than  either  of  those  which  have  been  named. 

NOVEL     SURGERY. 

"  Doctor  Warren  of  Boston,"  says  a  writer,  "  re- 
lates the  case  of  a  lady  who  had  a  tumor  of  the 
glands  of  the  neck,  of  the  size  of  an  egg,  which  had 
lasted  two  years,  and  had  resisted  all  the  efforts  for 
its  removal,  so  that  an  operation  was  proposed.  To 
this  the  patient  objected,  but  asked  whether  it  would 
be  safe  to  make  an  application  which  had  been  re- 
commended to  her,  viz.:  touching  the  part  three 
times  with  a  dead  man's  hand.  Dr.  W.  assured  her 
that  she  might  make  the  trial  without  apprehending 
any  serious  consequences.  After  a  time,  she  again 
presented  herself,  and,  smiling,  informing  him  that 
she  had  used  this  remedy,  and  no  other,  and  on  ex- 
amining the  part,  he  found  the  tumor  had  disappear- 
ed." 

A    LITTLE    DEFICIENT. 

Well,  doctor,  we  never  for  a  moment  doubted  your 
veracity ;  and  as  to  your  surgical  skill,  almost  all 
the  civilized  world  knows  that  it  is  not  surpassed. 


DISORDERED   IMAGINATION.  173 

Still,  we  cannot  help  calling  to  mind  that  Solomon 
,  "  A  living  dog,  is  better  than  a  dead  lion."  So 
we  can  hardly  avoid  the  conclusion  that  the  hand  of 
a  living  surgeon  ought  to  be  more  successful  in  re- 
moving tumors  from  a  living  body,  than  a  hand  from 
the  grave  yard.  Such,  we  hope  will  be  the  good 
fortune  in  future,  of  all  those  who  practice  the  heal- 
ing art,  lest  some  novel  practicioner  should  take  the 
pa1!!!,  by  advising  the  sick  to  consult  ghosts,  instead 
of  doctors  ! 

With  the  opposite  effect,  or  the  unhappy  influence 
of  great  mental  depression,  almost  every  one  is  fa- 
miliar. Many  examples  might  be  given,  but  it  is 
considered  unecessary. 


VENTILATION. 

Pure  air,  is  so  indispensable  to  health,  that  no 
wonder  there  are  so  many  pale,  sickly,  ghastly,  faces  ; 
flabby,  crooked,  rickety  bodies  ;  crazy,  dreamy,  fidge- 
ty intellects;  wretched,  crippled,  ruined  constitu- 
tions. When  we  see  how  people  live,  both  in  the 
lower  and  higher  classes  ;  we  naturally  conclude 
that  doctors,  apothecaries,  and  undertakers,  will  not 
be  likely  to  complain  for  want  of  business.  Some 
smother  themselves  by  day,  and  others  by  night. 
Many  when  they  retire,  shut  up  their  lodging-rooms 
as  they  did  in  old  times  to  shut  out  the  witches,  lest 
they  enter  through  the  cracks.  But  modern  witches 
are  far  more  likely  to  enter  irorn  want  of  cracks. 
The  size  of  the  room,  however,  modifies  the  necessi- 
ty for  a  free  opening.  Some  fancy  that  if  a  room 
has  a  door  open,  or  a  window  raised,  one  hour  in 
twenty-four,  it  is  thoroughly  ventilated.  A  sad  mis- 
take !  No  room  can  be  said  to  be  well  ventilated, 
which  has  not  a  provision  for  a  continued  circulation 
of  air,  by  night  and  by  day. 

The  great,  cry  against  basements,  on  the  score  of 
dampness,  is  half  of  it  moonshine.  They  may  be 
too  damp,  and  often  are,  in  summer.  And  why  ? 
Mainly  because  they  lack  ventilation.  But  when 
this  is  the  case,  the  moisture  of  the  air  is  by  no  means 
its  worst  quality.  Let  there  be  a  sufficient  circula- 
tion throughout  our  entire  basements  to  give  us  a 
pure  atmosphere,  and  if  the  moisture  remains  as 
great  as  ever,  we  shall  not  have  much  cause  to  com- 
plain. Of  course  I  have  reference  to  dwellings 


VEXTILATION.  1 75 


built  upon  soil,  free  from  water.  Moreover  the 
air,  instead  of  being  too  damp,  in  ordinary  base- 
ments during  the  winter,  is  too  dry  in  every  room 
that  has  a  fire.  Every  man  can  easily  satisfy  him- 
self with  a  few  moment's  investigation,  that  the  dry- 
ing power  of  the  air  in  cold  weather  is  really 
greater  in  his  basement  (where  artificial  heat  is  in- 
troduced,) than  it  is  oat  of  doors.  Are  not  seamen 
and  fishermen  a  healthy  class  of  men  ?  And  do  we 
not  even  send  those  who  are  already  sick,  to  sea — nay, 
those  who  are  almost  given  up  to  die,  that  they  may 
regain  their  health  ?  And  do  they  not  have  by  day 
and  by  night,  the  mighty  deep  beneath  them,  the 
ever-rolling  waves  around  them,  and  the  spray  and 
humid  atmosphere  above  them  ?  Now  if  a  little 
dampness  of  the  air  is  so  bad  a  thing  as  many 
contend  that  it  is,  why  do  they  not  all  die  ?  The 
truth  is,  they  get  pure  air,  whether  wet  or  dry,  (es- 
pecially if  they  go  much  upon  deck,)  and  that  is 
just  what  \ve  all  want,  and  for  which  we  earnestly 
contend  while  we  battle  stagnation,  and  let  moisture 
alone,  or  rather  take  measures  to  obtain  more  instead 
of  less,  as  the  air  in  our  entire  dwellings  is  alto- 
gether too  dry  for  health  during  cold  weather,  as  I 
shall  soon  attempt  to  show. 

But  beware  of  an  ill-ventilated  dwelling,  and  shun 
it  as  you  would  a  den  of  vipers ;  for  the  deadly 
fumes  of  such  an  abode,  which  flap  their  silent 
wings  about  your  senseless  nostrils,  are  far  more  to 
be  feared  than  all  the  ancient  plagues  of  Egypt,  and 
"  fiery  flying  serpents"  of  the  wilderness  ! 
8* 


176  VENTILATION. 


Much  is  said  of  late  against  small  bed-rooms,  as 
being  far  less  healthful  than  large  rooms.  This  is 
often  true.  And  why  ?  Simply  because  the  vitally 
important  subject  of  ventilation  is  too  often  over- 
looked, to  the  peril  of  those  who  lodge  therein.  A 
room  sixteen  feet  square  is  of  course  preferable  to 
one  half  the  size,  because  it  is  much  more  conve- 
nient, but  let  those  who  do  not  find  it  convenient  to 
occupy  such  capacious  apartments  as  they  may 
desire,  remember  this,  for  it  is  a  fact  of  practical 
importance,  that  they  may  make  their  little  seven- 
by-nine  bed-room  as  healthful  as  if  it  were  large 
enough  for  a  church,  if  they  will.  If  nothing  is  done 
to  secure  a  free  circulation,  then  of  course  a  man 
might  almost  as  well  take  up  lodgings  in  a  molasses 
hogshead.  Under  such  circumstances  the  large 
room  has  the  advantage  most  decidedly ;  because  it 
may  perhaps  contain  air  enough  to  supply  the 
sleeper  through  the  night. 

.But  it  will  be  remembered  that  the  air  in  any  room, 
no  matter  how  large,  is  no  purer,  to  say  the  least, 
than  the  air  without ;  and  generally  far  less  so :  and 
consequently  a  small  apartment  supplied  afresh,  is 
preferable  to  a  large  one,  with  the  air  half  stagnant. 
Now  if  a  man  can  breathe  tolerably  well  through  a 
rye-straw,  it  is  a  pity,  if  with  a  suitable  provision, 
he  cannot  draw  a  plentiful  supply  from  a  salubrious 
atmosphere  without,  notwithstanding  he  occupies  a 
small  room.  Some  people  bar  and  bolt  their  doors 
against  fresh  air  without,  as  if  every  breeze  was  a 
thief,  while  they  cherish  robbers  and  thieves  within. 

Now,  although  I  do  not  intend  to  drive  any  one 


VENTILATION.  17? 


to  extremes,  yet  a  man  had  better  sleep  with  his 
head  out  of  one  window,  and  his  feet  out  of  another, 
than  in  a  poisoned  atmosphere. 

The  truth  is,  earth  herself  has  not  a  room  large 
enough  for  a  single  individual  to  inhabit,  with  an 
immunity  from  stagnation,  without  her  system  of 
ventilation  by  whirlwinds  and  refrigerants. 

And  not  only  should  every  man  imitate  nature, 
and  provide  means  for  a  free  circulation  through  his 
entire  dwelling,  in  which  he  spends  at  least  one-third 
of  his  entire  life,  but  those  who  build  cities  and 
towns,  should  lay  out  the  streets  in  reference  to  venti- 
lation, as  well  as  to  other  important  objects.  Long, 
straight  streets  running  through  an  entire  city,  have 
the  advantage  of  those  which  are  short  and  curved. 

Now  if  any  man  considers  this  a  matter  of  mere 
fancy,  touching  the  importance  of  a  sufficient  circu- 
lation through  our  streets,  or  supposes  that  I  have 
given  this  hint  to  add  another  page  to  the  volume, 
let  him  go  into  any  narrow  confined  street  about 
twelve  o'clock  in  dog-days,  and  take  one  good  long 
snuff,  and  he  will  probably  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  is  not  extravagantly  ventilated. 

Let  our  motto  be,  pure  air,  and  plenty  of  it. 

Before  dismissing  the  subject  of  Ventilation,  I  beg 
leave  to  quote  a  few  paragraphs  from  "  A  Practical 
Treatise  on  Ventilation,  by  MorriU  Wyman,  M.  Z).," 
one  of  the  best  works  on  this  subject  ever  published. 
And  first,  to  show  the  value  of  Ventilation,  as  illus- 
trated by  an  interesting  experiment,  he  observes — 

'*  In  a  weaving-mill  near  Manchester,  where  the 
ventilation  was  bad. the  proprietor  caused  a  fan  to  be 


178  VENTILATION. 


mounted.  The  consequence  soon  became  apparent  in 
a  curious  manner.  The  operatives,  little  remarkable 
for  olfactory  refinement,  instead  of  thanking  their  em- 
ployer for  his  attention  to  their  comfort  and  health, 
made  a  formal  complaint  to  him  that  the  ventilator  had 
increased  their  appetite,  and  therefore  entitled  them 
to  a  corresponding  increase  of  wages  !  By  stopping 
the  fan  a  part  of  the  day  the  ventilation  and  voracity 
of  the  establishment  were  brought  to  a  medium 
standard,  and  complaints  ceased.  The  operatives' 
wages  would  but  just  support  them  ;  any  additional 
demands  by  their  stomachs  could  only  be  answered 
by  draughts  upon  their  backs  which  were  by  no 
means  in  a  condition  to  answer  them." 

Now  while  we  are  proud  of  our  productions  and 
privileges,  let  us  thank  a  bountiful  Providence 
for  giving  us  a  land  that  will  not  starve  us  into 
stagnation  ! 

"  Dr.  Arnott  relates  a  case  of  some  lace-makers  in 
Buckinghamshire,  who,  to  the  number  of  twenty  or 
thirty,  assembled  in  a  small  room  in  winter,  and 
kept  themselves  warm  by  their  breaths,  that  they 
might  save  fuel.  The  odor  of  the  room,  although 
unperceived  by  themselves,  soon  became  to  a  stran- 
ger exceedingly  offensive.  They  became  pale,  their 
health  was  broken,  and  some  of  them  died.  Although 
the  cause  of  these  results  was  so  obvious  to  a  well- 
informed  observer,  it  was  difficult  to  convince  them 
of  their  folly." 

Ye«,  let  us  also  think  more  than  ever  of  our 
country,  that  it  does  not  even  freeze  us  into  stag- 
nation. 


VENTILATION.  179 


"A  free  change  of  air  is  one  of  the  best  preventives 
of  taking  cold,  as  it  is  called.  When  all  the  crevices 
are  carefully  closed,  and  the  atmosphere  becomes 
stagnant,  we  become  susceptible  to  very  slight 
changes,  against  which  we  cannot  always  guard. 
To  protect  ourselves  from  their  injurious  effects, 
experience  has  shown  that  the  frequent  renewal  of 
the  air  is  exceedingly  important :  and  the  more  we 
accustom  ourselves  to  it,  the  less  susceptible  do  we 
become." 

This  explains  the  reason  why  our  mothers,  at 
least  our  grand-mothers,  were  not  such  nervous, 
puny,  fidgety  shadows,  as  their  descendants  at  the 
present  day  claim  to  be.  They  inhaled  the  pure  una- 
dulterated atmosphere,  which  their  open,  airy  houses, 
with  cracks  large  enough  to  let  the  birds  fly  through, 
and  mammoth  chimneys  abundantly  furnished. 
Although  it  may  not  be  good  policy  to  ventilate 
our  habitations  in  a  similar  way,  yet  ventilation  or 
suffocation  we  must  have ;  and  not  a  few  choose  the 
latter,  to  save  the  expense  of  a  little  extra  fuel. 

Does  any  one  say,  I  cannot  afford  to  have  a 
stream  of  pure  air  in  cold  weather,  constantly  rush- 
ing into  my  dwelling,  while  the  warm  air  escapes  ? 
Then  let  me  ask,  can  you  afford  to  die  ?  Settle  this 
question  first.  But,  if  you  should  find  that  you  have 
nothing  more  to  do  or  suffer — nothing  more  to  gain 
or  shun — nothing  more  for  which  to  live  or  die ;  still 
the  question  returns,  what  right  have  you  to  shut  out 
this  vital  agent,  and  poison  the  fountain  of  animal 
life  with  your  own  hand  ? 


180  VENTILATION. 


"  Experiments  have  been  made  in  a  room  pre- 
pared expressly  for  the  purpose  upon  many  persons, 
varying  in  number  at  each  experiment,  from  three 
to  two  hundred  and  thirty-four,  of  every  variety  of 
constitution,  and  in  the  House  of  Commons  every 
day  of  the  Session  for  two  years,  and  the  results 
show  that  it  was  rare  to  meet  with  a  person  who 
was  not  sensible  of  the  deterioration  of  the  air  when 
supplied  with  Jess  than  ten  cubic  feet  per  minute. 
In  sultry  weather  it  was  always  found  that  from 
twenty  to  sixty  cubic  feet  were  required  to  sustain 
a  refreshing  and  agreeable  atmosphere,  when  no 
artificial  refrigeration  was  employed;  and  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  for  three  weeks  successively, 
each  member  was  supplied  with  sixty  cubic  feet  per 
minute. 

"  If  we  consider  for  a  moment,  that  the  lungs  at 
each  expiration  are  expelling  a  fluid,  four  per  cent, 
of  which  is  a  deadly  poison,  tending  rapidly  to  diffuse 
itself  in  the  atmosphere  :  that  this  same  poison  is 
constantly  exhaling  from  our  skins ;  that  these  or- 
gans, too,  are  yielding  a  quantity  (twenty  grains  per 
minute)  of  aqueous  vapor,  increasing  with  the  tempe- 
rature; we  shall  not  be  surprised,  that  in  an  ordinary 
ventilated  room,  we  miss  that  refreshing  influence  a 
free  and  adequete  supply  of  air  alone  can  give. 

"We  would  not  have  it  supposed  that  in  our 
private  houses,  ten  cubic  feet  of  fresh  air  per  minute 
should  enter  the  room  for  each  person  in  it.  As  we 
have  just  remarked,  these  rooms  are  not  con- 
stantly occupied;  they  sometimes  contain  several 
thousand  cubic  feet,  besides  what  must  unavoidably 


VENTILATION.  181 


enter  on  opening  the  doors  or  through  the  various 
crevices  about  the  doors  and  windows. 

"  In     ventilating     dwelling-houses,    it    is    to    be 
observed, — 

1st. — "That  each  room,  fifteen  feet  square,  for  the 
accommodation  of  six  or  eight  individuals,  should 
have  a  flue  for  the  escape  of  foul  air,  either  in  the 
chimney  or  elsewhere,  of  at  least  one  hundred 
inches  area.  A  bed-room  should  have  an  outlet 
of  nearly  the  same  dimensions. 
2nd. — "  An  inlet  for  fresh  air  should  be  provided  for 

each  room  and  bed-room. 

3rd. — "  That  fresh  air  in  winter  should  always  be 
moderately  warmed  before   it   is   introduced  into 
apartments. 
4th. — "  That  all  apertures  for  the  admission  or  exit 

of  air  should  be  provided  with  valves. 
5th. — "  In  summer  nearly  all  the  ventilation  will  be 
produced  by  the  opening  of  doors  and  widows." 
"In  apartments  warmed  by  an  open  fire,  the  smoke- 
flue  should  be  considered  as  the  ventilating-fl  ue."  In 
such  rooms  as  have  no  fire-places,  other  provision, 
should  be  made,  and,  for  all  practical  purposes,  the 
upper  sash  (where  both  are  moveable)  may  be  let 
down  a  very  little  from  the  top.  But  in  a  cold  frosty 
night,  I  think  the  reader  will  hardly  tolerate  an 
opening  three  inches  wide,  which  in  an  ordinary 
window  would  give  about  the  above  named  area, 
vi/.,  one  hundred  inches.  Nay,  a  crack  half  an  inch 
will  be  abundantly  sufficient  under  such  circum- 
stances, with  an  adequate  opening  under  the  bottom 
of  the  door,  or  some  other  suitable  place  for  the  ad- 


182  VENTILATION. 


mission  of  fresh  air.  But  in  warm  weather,  the 
case  will  be  entirely  different. 

As  to  warming  the  air  before  it  is  introduced 
into  the  several  apartments  in  our  dwellings,  it  will 
frequently  be  inconvenient.  Those  who  warm  their 
houses  with  heated  air  from  furnaces,  can  do  it  very 
effectually.  The  same  excellent  work  speaks  of 
accomplishing  the  same  thing  to  some  extent,  where 
an  ordinary  fire  is  used,  by  having  a  double  back  to 
the  fire-place,  with  an  air  chamber  between  the  two, 
communicating  with  the  room,  to  be  warmed  and 
supplied  with  air  from  without..  This,  I  believe,  if 
properly  constructed,  is  an  excellent  arrangement ; 
for  it  will  not  only  modify  the  temperature  and  thus 
prevent  an  unpleasant  draught  of  cold  air  in  the  room, 
but  will  actually  conduct  more  heat,  than  will  radiate 
from  the  back  of  an  ordinary  fire-place.  He  also 
speaks  of  doing  very  much  the  same  thing  where 
stoves  are  used,  by  having  air-pipes  pass  through 
them,  &c.  &c. 

But  as  I  designed  the  few  brief  remarks  which  I 
proposed  to  offer  on  the  subject  of  ventilation,  merely 
to  stimulate  the  reader  to  open  his  mouth  a  little 
wider,  and  breathe  a  little  faster,  or  at  least  a  better 
atmosphere,  I  will  leave  him  to  do  it  in  his  own  way, 
and  on  his  own  hook ;  while  I  proceed  to  redeem  my 
pledge,  touching  the  hygromeric  state  of  the  air  in 
our  dwellings  in  cold  weather,  and  notice  the  defi- 
ciency of  moisture  both  within  and  without,  through- 
out all  cold  countries. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  ARTIFICIAL  MOISTURE. 

Many  complain  of  stoves  on  account  of  their 
diminishing  the  moisture  in  the  air.  This  is  altoge- 
ther a  wrong  conclusion,  unless  they  mean  that 
warm  air  is  more  drying  than  cold  air.  This  we 
admit,  and  if  they  raise  the  temperature  10°  higher 
when  they  burn  their  fuel  in  a  stove,  than  when 
they  use  an  open  fire-place,  the  drying  power 
is  of  course  10°  greater,  and  this  increased  tem- 
perature constitutes  all  the  difference,  whatever  be 
the  source  of  caloric.  Others  lay  great  stress  on 
fuel,  as  though  certain  combustibles  have  a  tendency 
to  modify  the  dryness  of  the  air,  no  matter  where 
they  are  consumed.  This  is  another  erroneous 
opinion,  for  there  is  no  difference  in  combustibles, 
in  this  respect,  except  that  which  has  already  been 
pointed  out  in  speaking  of  the  influence  of  stoves. 

That  the  air  is  too  dry,  we  frankly  admit.  But 
the  difficulty  begins  without.  It  is  too  dry  before  it 
enters  our  dwellings.  It  has  all  the  moisture  after  it 
enters  your  abode  that  it  had  before,  and  might 
contain  far  more  within  a  rediiot  stove,  than  it  is 
possible  for  it  to  contain  in  the  centre  of  an  iceberg. 
So  that  neither  the  stove,  grate,  furnace,  nor  fuel 
affect  the  actual  moisture  in  the  air  in  the  slightest 
degree,  and  only  modify  the  drying  power  of  the 
atmosphere  as  its  temperature  is  increased  or  dimi- 
nished. Let  there  be  as  much  moisture  in  the  air.  in 
winter,  as  it  sometimes  contains  in  summer,  and  we 
may  have  anthracite  in  our  grates,  turpentine  in  our 


184  IMPORTANCE    OP    ARTIFICIAL    MOISTURE. 

furnaces,  and  brimstone  in  our  stoves,  and  yet  if  it 
is  not  too  warm  for  comfort,  we  shall  see  the  water 
trickling  down  our  walls,  and  our  sheets  damp 
enough  for  Priessnitz,  and  all  his  followers.  But 
this  can  never  occur  in  cold  weather  without  artifi- 
cial vapor. 

When  cool  weather  first  begins  in  the  fall,  we  are 
very  apt  to  suppose  the  air  to  be  more  damp  than 
it  was  in  summer  ;  whereas  it  always  contains  less 
moisture,  instead  of  more,  and  the  deficiency  contin- 
ually increases  as  the  temperature  becomes  lower. 
Yet,  so  far  as  certain  effects  are  concerned,  it  may  be 
said  to  be  as  damp  as  at  other  seasons,  when  twice 
as  much  moisture  is  present.  We  must  always  bear 
in  mind  that  the  capacity  of  the  air  for  moisture  is  in 
proportion  to  its  temperature. 

This  is  illustrated  in  the  case  of  fog,  which  occurs 
in  the  region  of  large  bodies  of  water,  when  the 
atmosphere  becomes  suddenly  cooler  than  the  water, 
and  is  most  frequent  early  in  the  fall,  during  the 
night.  The  atmosphere  at  a  given  temperature  can 
hold  a  given  amount  of  insensible  vapor,  and  no 
more ;  so  that  if  the  equilibrium  be  disturbed  by  an 
increase  of  vapor,  or  a  deficiency  of  caloric,  the 
result  is  the  same.  The  excess  falls  to  the  earth  in 
dew,  fog,  rain,  snow,  &c. 

Now,  suppose  the  temperature  of  the  river  to  be 
50°,  and  that  of  the  air  but  40°,  it  will  be  easy  to 
see  that  with  such  a  degree  of  heat,  the  water  will 
throw  off  more  vapor  than  the  atmosphere  can  hold, 
and  the  consequence  is,  a  portion  is  necessarily  con- 
densed. The  same  effect  is  produced  in  boiling  the 


IMPORTANCE    OP    ARTIFICIAL   MOISTURE.  185 

tea-kettle.  The  instant  that  the  vapor  rushes  out 
into  an  atmosphere  below  212°  (Fah.)  it  becomes 
condensed.  But  let  the  same  amount  of  sleam  pass 
into  a  red  hot  flame,  and  it  will  appear  as  if  there 
were  no  moisture  there.  And  yet  it  is  there,  and  not 
a  particle  of  it  destroyed,  and  if  after  passing  through 
the  flame  it  be  conducted  through  a  pipe  surrounded 
with  ice- water,  the  fluid  will  quickly  appear. 

That  point  where  the  moisture  of  the  air  first  be- 
comes visible,  is  called  the  "dew-point?  and  is  gene- 
rally several  degrees  below  the  temperature,  whatever 
that  may  be,  and  never  above  it.  Consequently, 
whenever  the  temperature  is  down  to  freezing  point 
(32°),  we  know  at  once  that  the  amount  of  moisture 
in  the  air  must  be  small.  It  occasionall3r  happens 
that  the  temperature  and  the  dew-point  meet  at  the 
same  degree,  and  the  air  is  then  said  to  be  saturated. 
At  such  a  time  all  evaporation  ceases  from  all  wet 
substances,  no  matter  what  the  temperature  may 
be,  whether  it  is  as  cold  as  Greenland,  or  as  hot  as 
an  oven. 

But  fortunately  for  us,  this  seldom  continues 
long.  And  as  the  dew-point  is  usually  below  the 
temperature,  no  matter  how  cold,  evaporation  still 
continues,  and  wet  clothes  hung  out  in  a  cold  day, 
will  frequently  dry  as  quickly  as  in  a  suffocating 
atmosphere  of  "  dog-days."  It  is  well  known  that 
ice  evaporates,  and  it  is  said  in  the  work  on  Ventila- 
tion, to  which  I  have  already  alluded,  that  an  acre  of 
snow  exposed  to  a  smart  breeze,  will  lose  in  "  one 
night  about  one  thousand  gallons  of  water."  But  I 


186  IMPORTANCE   OP    ARTIFICIAL   MOISTURE. 

think  the  air  thus  sweeping  over  the  snow,  would 
require  to  be  pretty  dry  to  produce  such  a  result. 

Now,  to  satisfy  the  reader  that  the  air  in  cold 
weather,  in  our  climate,  is  altogether  too  dry  for 
health,  I  will  briefly  advert  to  a  small  part  of  the 
testimony  which  might  be  brought  to  bear  upon  this 
point.  But  how  much  drying  power  should  the  air 
\vhich  we  breathe  possess  ?  In  other  words,  what 
is  a  healthful  standard  of  humidity  ?  I  believe  this 
question  has  never  been  perfectly  settled,  neither 
has  it  received  the  attention  which  it  deserves. 

The  climate  of  Washington  is  generally  considered 
salubrious;  and  in  the  year  1840,  during  the  months 
of  June,  July,  August,  and  September,  from  9,  A.  M. 
to  3,  P.  M.,  the  average  temperature  and  dew-point 
were  found  to  be  as  follows : — Temperature,  74° , 
dew-point,  68°  ;  difference,  or  drying-power  only  6°  .* 
This  we  may  consider  a  very  high  dew-point,  and 
probably  exceeds  the  record  of  any  other  year,  if 
not  of  every  other  place  in  our  country. 

But  I  am  not  aware  that  this  was  a  sickly  season 
at  Washington,  and  as  I  have  statistics  before  me 
which  show  conclusively  that  this  very  year  at 
Baltimore,  a  distance  of  only  thirty-eight  miles  from 
the  former  place,  was  more  healthful  than  any  year 
from  1836  to  1848,  I  suppose  that  I  shall  hardly  be 
considered  extravagant  when  T  fix  the  standard  at 
18°.  This  would  be  giving  the  air  three  times  the 

"  The  within  mode  of  expressing  the  drying  power  of  the  air, 
has  been  adopted,  supposing  tint  the  general  reader  would  under 
stand  it  better  than  one  more  strictly  scientific. 


IMPORTANCE    OF    ARTIFICIAL    MOISTURE.  187 

drying  power  that  it  possessed  in  Washington.  And 
will  any  one  contend  that  it  should  have  more? 

Now  we  see  that  nature  warmed  up  the  atmos- 
phere to  74°,  and  raised  the  dew-point  to  68°,  mak- 
ing the  difference  but  6°,  and  if  we  raise  the  tempe- 
rature in  our  dwellings  in  winter  to  70°,  and  do  not 
raise  the  dew-point  to  at  least  50°,  one  would  be 
inclined  to  suppose  that  we  either  do  not  wish  to 
imitate  nature,  or  that  we  do  not  know  how. 

But  I  hesitate  not  to  say,  that  not  a  single  dwel- 
ling can  be  found  in  this  city,  (Xew- York,)  and  I  will 
include  all  our  sister  cities  at  the  North,  that  has 
such  an  atmosphere  in  winter.  And  we  suffer  in 
consequence  of  it. 

Why  are  the  English  people  so  proverbial  for  their 
plump  bodies  and  ruddy  faces? 

Very  much  because  they  are  not  Kiln-dried!  I 
have  no  doubt  that  the  favorable  hygrometric  state 
of  their  atmosphere  in  winter,  contributes  largely  to 
their  advantage  over  us  poor  withered  Yankees. 
And  if  we  would  avoid  a  dry  hacking  cough,  an 
irritable  nervous  system,  deranged  secretions,  con- 
stant head-ache,  torpid  bowels,  morbid  appetite,  and 
fretful  temper,  we  must  make  up  by  artificial  eva- 
poration, the  moisture  naturally  lacking  in  our  win- 
try atmosphere.  Otherwise  we  must  be  content  to 
wear  a  dry  skin,  rough  enough  for  a  nutmeg-grater, 
over  a  real  living,  lank,  American  Mummy  ! 

But  what  is  the  difference  in  favor  of  England,  per- 
haps the  reader  may  ask  ?  The  mean  dew-point  in 
England  from  the  first  of  November  to  the  last  of 


188  IMPORTANCE    OF    ARTIFICIAL    MOISTURE. 

March   is    about   35°.     Whereas,  in   our  Northern 
States,  taking  Albany  for  a  type,  it  is  about  17°. 

Now  we  must  bear  in  mind,  that  as  we  increase 
the  temperature  of  the  air,  we  increase  its  affinity  for 
moisture.  The  dew-point  in  London,  being  35°,  and 
the  temperature  of  their  houses,  being  70°,  would 
give  them  even  an  atmosphere  of  great  drying  power, 
but  how  would  it  stand  at  Albany  ?  Instead  of  being 
6°  as  in  the  summer  of  1840  at  Washington,  or  even 
35°  as  found  iri  England,  we  perceive  it  to  be  53°! 

Now  we  can  hardly  expect  so  great  a  contrast, 
without  unpleasant  effects.  These  we  see  and  feel. 
We  see  it  in  the  warping,  shrinking,  and  cracking  of 
our  furniture,  and  in  its  shrivelling,  withering  influ- 
ence on  our  green-house  plants.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered, that  our  furniture  always  suffers  most  in  win- 
ter, and  its  injury  is  usually  attributed  to  heat. 
Whereas,  the  temperature  is  always  higher  in  the 
summer.  Our  own  sensations,  to  which  I  have  already 
hinted,  also  bear  testimony  to  the  excessive  drying 
power  of  the  air  in  our  dwellings  during  the  cold 
season. 

When  the  dew-point  is  above  32°,  it  is  very  easy  to 
ascertain  the  hygrometric  condition  of  the  air  in  a  very 
few  minutes  with  a  glass  of  water,  a  little  ice,  and  a 
thermometer.  Add  the  ice,  a  little  at  a  time,  and 
carefully  watch  for  the  first  appearance  of  dew  on 
the  outside  of  the  glass,  and  when  this  is  visible, 
look  at  your  thermometer  which  must  be  in  the  wa- 
ter, and  the  dew-point  will  be  obvious. 

But  when  you  have  no  provision  for  artificial 
moisture  within,  aad  with  a  temperature  below  freez- 


IMPORTANCE    OF    ARTIFICIAL    MOISTURE.  189 

ing  point  without,  your  glass  of  ice- water  may  stand 
on  your  table  from  morning  till  night,  and  remain  on 
the  outside  as  dry  as  a  tinder-box.  In  other  words, 
you  will  find  the  dew-point  in  your  parlor,  nay  in 
your  oven,  red  hot,  just  where  it  is  in  the  street ;  and 
when  it  freezes  without,  and  you  have  a  temperature 
of  70°  within,  you  may  always  know,  without  any 
hygrometer,  that  the  drying  power  is  40°  or  50°, 
which  is  more  than  twice  as  much  as  it  should  be  for 
health  and  comfort. 

I  have  been  more  particular  to  explain  this  mat- 
ter, because  of  an  erroneous  opinion  which  has  long 
prevailed,  and  among  many  too  who  ought  to  know 
better. 

EVAPORATOR. 

The  question  may  now  be  asked,  how  shall  we 
modify  the  air  in  our  apartments,  to  a  healthful 
standard  of  humidity,  while  it  is  too  dry  without? 
This  is  indeed  a  subject  of  more  importance  than 
many  seem  willing  to  believe.  And  I  would  invite 
the  man  who  is  at  all  skeptical,  to  visit  a  well-con- 
structed Green-House,  if  convenient  for  him  to  do  so, 
and  there  spend  an  hour  or  two  on  a  cold  day  in 

;.  mid-winter,  in  the  refreshing,  balmy  air  of  such  a 
delightful  resort.  It  is  sometimes  said  that  the  pecu- 
liarly agreeable  state  of  the  atmosphere  in  such  a 
place,  is  all  owing  to  an  extra  supply  of  oxygen  which 
the  plants  throw  off  in  breathing.  But  it  is  easy  for 

1  any  one  to  satisfy  himself  that  this  is  a  mistake,  by 
visiting  said  place  in  the  evening;  for  it  is  well 


190  IMPORTANCE    OF    ARTIFICIAL    MOISTURE. 

known  that  plants  then  absorb  oxygen  and  exhale 
carbonic  .acid  gas. 

To  render  the  air  agreeable,  we  are  often  directed 
to  put  some  metallic  vessel  containing  water  upon  the 
top  of  a  stove.  But  this  does  not  amount  to  a  drop 
in  the  bucket.  I  have  an  evaporator  attached  to 
my  office  stove,  viz. — a  copper  boiler  which  reaches 
down  into  the  stove  about  four  inches.  This  will 
evaporate  from  two  to  three  gallons  per  day,  when 
the  weather  is  sufficiently  cold  to  require  a  brisk  fire. 
And  yet,  with  all  this  evaporation  for  a  single  room, 
I  have  found  the  dew-point  at  40°  when  the  tempe- 
rature without  was  only  down  to  the  freezing  point. 
This  gave  me  the  drying  power  of  30°,  the  tempe- 
rature within  being  70°,  and  without  this  artificial 
moisture,  it  would  probably  have  been  50°. 

An  apparatus  better  calculated  to  effect  the  desired 
object  than  a  pan  set  upon  the  top  of  a  stove,  is,  an 
evaporator  which  is  now  usually  attached  to  a  fur- 
nace. Still,  this  generally  comes  short  of  meeting 
the  demand,  though  it  might  easily  be  so  constructed 
as  to  give  us  the  bland  atmosphere  of  June. 

The  difficulty,  however,  lies  in  the  fact,  that  the 
public  is  not  aware  of  more  than  half  the  truth  on 
this  important  subject.  The  amount  of  artificial 
moisture  required,  will  be  modified  by  the  state  of 
the  atmosphere  without,  as  it  contains  much  more 
moisture  in  a  mild  day,  than  when  the  temperature 
is  low,  and  varies  more  or  less  while  the  thermom- 
eter is  stationary ;  and  in  places  situated  near 
large  bodies  of  water,  the  direction  of  the  wind  has 


IMPORTANCE    OF     ARTIFICIAL    MOISTURE.  191 

an  important  influence  in  modifying  the  humidity  of 
the  atmosphere. 

Should  any  one  be  fearful  of  having  too  much 
moisture,  the  question  is  easily  settled.  Turn  your 
eye  to  the  window,  and  if  it  is  cold  enough  without 
to  freeze,  and  you  have  half  as  much  moisture 
within  as  you  ought  to  have,  you  will  see  it  coming 
down  on  the  glass  in  showers,  unless  you  have  dou- 
ble windows,  just  what  every  body  should  have.  When 
you  see  no  such  effect  produced  on  the  glass  of  sin- 
gle windows,  at  any  time  when  it  is  cold  enough  to 
have  a  brisk  fire,  put  on  the  steam.  I  need  not  tell 
you  how  to  do  this,  for  it  can  hardly  be  expected, 
that  in  this  steaming  age,  artists  have  not  tact 
enough  to  give  you  a  little  vapor. 

Don't  let  them  cheat  you  out  of  it  I 
9 


LONGEVITY. 

Most  men  when  about  to  make  choice  of  a  vocation 
for  life,  either  for  themselves,  or  for  their  sons,  keep 
prominently  before  the  mind  two  questions,  viz.: 
In  pursuing  this  business,  will  it  command  honor  and 
respect,  and,  above  all,  will  it  lead  to  wealth  ? 

But  more  important  questions  than  these,  can  and 
should  be  settled  first.  What  will  be  the  probabilities 
of  health  and  life,  of  happiness  and  usefulness  in 
prosecuting  this  calling!  Here  are  weighty  consider- 
ations which  should  be  carefully  revolved  in  every 
parent's  mind.  In  importance  they  infinitely  trans- 
cend all  possible  success  in  getting  gold. 

It  should  never  be  forgotten,  that  a  man's  occupa- 
tion affects  him  more  or  less,  physically,  mentally,  and 
morally.  But  its  effects  upon  the  body  and  the 
mind,  may  be  more  appropriately  noticed  on  the 
present  occasion,  yet,  as  has  already  been  shown, 
even  morals  have  more  influence  over  health  than 
many  seem  to  suppose. 

But  it  may  be  said,  that  all  the  important  avoca- 
tions of  life  must  be  sustained  and  filled,  though 
some  are  less  healthful  than  others,  both  to  body  and 
mind.  This  is  true,  but  it  does  not  follow  that  pa- 
rents should  crowd  their  sons  into  such  professions 
and  pursuits,  as  are  known  to  be  more  prejudicial  to 
health  than  many  others,  simply  because  such  pur- 
suits are  considered  honorable,  while,  at  the  same 
time,  these  posts  are  already  occupied  by  more  men 
than  can  thus  earn  their  bread.  This  very  circum- 


LONGEVITY.  193 


stance  is  sufficient  to  render  the  pursuit  insalubrious. 
But,  after  all,  is  it  more  honorable  to  wield  a  lancet, 
than  to  swing  an  axe — to  tie  an  artery,  than  to  build 
an  engine — to  prepare  a  brief,  than  to  prevent  a  fa- 
mine, — to  secure  the  acquittal  of  a  villain,  than  to 
construct  a  prison  for  the  safety  of  the  innocent  ? 

Although  the  opinion  that  the  human  constitution 
formerly  possessed  more  vigor  than  it  does  at  the  pre- 
sent day,  generally  prevails,  and  may  to  some  extent 
be  correct,  yet  the  chances  now  for  life,  contrast  so 
favorably  with  centuries  past,  that  it  is  interesting  to 
compare  the  bills  of  mortality  of  different  periods. 
Accordingly  I  have  thought  proper  to  collect  a  few 
brief  statistics,  hoping  to  interest  the  reader,  while 
the  writer  is  happy  to  acknowledge  his  indebtedness 
to  Drs..  A.  W.  White,  City  Inspector,  J.  M.  Smith  and 
H.  D.  Bulkley,  of  New-York ;  C.  W.  Parsons,  Provi- 
dence, R.  I. ;  G.  Emerson,  Philadelphia,  Pa. ;  and  C. 
B.  Coventry,  Utica,  N.  Y.  for  their  kind  assistance. 

**  Without  going  back  to  more  ancient  periods,  we 
may  affirm,  that  within  the  last  century  particu- 
larly, the  value  of  life  has  gone  on  progressively, 
and  rapidly  improving.  The  experience  of  the  United 
States  would,  we  are  satisfied,  exhibit  the  truth  of 
this  assertion,  were  the  requisite  data  attainable." — 
(Dunglisorfs  Human  Health,  p.  117.) 

Some  facts  may  be  presented  to  show  that  the 
Professor's  opinion,  in  relation  to  our  own  country, 
is  not  strictly  correct,  as  respects  certain  locations. 
But  we  are  greatly  in  want  of  information  respecting 
the  proportion  of  deaths  throughout  the  United  States. 
The  state  of  Massachusetts  has  thus  far  taken  the  lead 


194  LONGEVITY. 


in  this  important  matter.  In  the  old  world,  however, 
more  has  been  done  to  collect  statistics,  and  the 
changes  in  favor  of  longevity  in  many  parts  are  of 
the  most  gratifying  character.  The  writer,  just 
quoted,  says, "  The  annual  mortality  of  London  in  1 700, 
was  1  in  25;  in  1751,  1  in  21 ;  in  1801,  and  the  four 
years  preceding,  1  in  35;  in  1811,  1  in  38;  in  1821, 
1  in  40 : — the  value  of  life  having  doubled  in  Lon- 
don within  the  last  eighty  years. 

"  In  Paris,  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century, 
the  mortality  was  1  in  25 ;  a  few  years  ago,  about 
1  in  32 ;  and  it  has  been  estimated  that  in  the  four- 
teenth century  it  was  1  in  16  or  17." 

"At  Geneva,  good  bills  of  mortality  have  been  kept 
since  1549,  and  the  results  are  in  the  highest  degree 
gratifying  to  the  philanthropist.  It  seems,  that  at 
the  time  of  the  reformation,  half  the  children  born, 
did  not  reach  six  years  of  age.  In  the  seventeenth 
century  the  probability  of  life  was  about  1 1 J  years ; 
in  the  eighteenth  century  it  increased  to  above  twen- 
ty-seven years.  The  probability  of  life  to  a  citizen  of 
Geneva  has  consequently  become  five  times  greater 
in  the  space  of  about  three  hundred  years." 

The  following  table,  says  Dr.  Dunglison,  has  been 
formed  by  Mr.  Edward  Maltet,  from  the  Genevese 
Registers : — 


LONGEVITY. 


195 


Probabilities  of  life,  were  to  every  individual  born 
towards  the  close  of  the 


16th  Century, 
17th    " 
1701  to  1750, 
1750  to  1SOO, 
1SOO  to  1813, 
1814  to  1833, 

YEARS. 

MONTHS. 

DATS. 

8 
13 
27 
31 
40 
45 

7 
3 
9 
3 
8 
0 

26 
16 
13 
5 
0 
29 

From  this  gratifying  representation,  the  reader 
will  almost  expect  the  days  of  "Methuselah"  to  re- 
turn, but  eight  years  later,  the  same  writer  has  put 
down  the  probabilities  of  life  at  forty- three  instead 
of  forty-five  years  in  Geneva.  Let  us  now  turn  our 
attention  for  a  moment  to  our  own  country.  In  a 
very  valuable  paper  by  Dr.  J.  Curtis,  published  in  the 
u  Transactions  of  .the  American  Medical  Association," 
we  find  the  average  age  of  all  whose  deaths  are  re- 
corded in  the  following  places  to  be  as  follows : — 

1842,  34  years  and  9  months. 
"    10        " 

<c         g  <( 

"      9 
««      7 


Massachusetts,  (State,) 


1843,  33 
1S44,  33 
1845,  30 
Concord,  N.  H.,     1779  to  1808,  39 


Boston, 


Lowell, 


1809  to  1842,  36  " 

«   0 

1817  to  1829,  33  «« 

"  11 

1834  to  1843,  31  «« 

"   2 

1811  to  1820,  27  " 

"   3 

1821  to  1830,  25  " 

«  11 

1831  to  1840,  22  " 

"   9 

1841  to  1845,  21  « 

"   5 

1836  to  1840,  17  " 

«   1  1-3 

1841  to  1845,  17  «« 

"   0 

From  the  above  statement  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
chances  for  life  in  the  aforesaid  places,  have  been 
steadily  diminishing  for  several  years.  But  still  the 
probabilities  for  life,  all  things  considered,  are  un- 


196  LONGEVITY. 


doubtedly  greater  than  they  were  during  the  last 
century.  Vaccination,  which  was  first  introduced  into 
England  by  DR.  JENNER,  as  a  preventive  of  Small 
Pox,  and  which  subsequently  spread  its  prophylactic 
influence  rapidly  over  the  earth,  has  done  much  to 
reduce  the  bills  of  mortality,  but  probably  more  in 
the  old  world  than  in  the  new.  The  14th  of  May, 
1796,  is  commonly  regarded  as  the  birth-day  of  Vacci- 
nation, and  in  1799,  it  found  its  way  into  America, 
1800,  into  France,  and  in  1802  it  commenced  in  Hin- 
dostan,and  the  whole  continent  of  Asia  felt  its  redeem- 
ing power.  In  addition  to  this  grand  discovery,  disea- 
ses are  generally  better  understood  than  formerly,  and 
better  treated.  More  attention  is  also  paid  to  Hygiene. 

It  now  becomes  us  to  pause,  and  seriously  inquire 
whether  we,  with  all  our  love  of  life,  bring  into  re- 
quisition such  means  and  measures  as  are  calculated 
to  increase  its  value.  This  is  a  point  of  practical 
importance,  a  subject  which  should  not  escape  a 
rigid  scrutiny.  Our  life,  and  our  health,  and  the  pres- 
ent and  future  prosperity  of  our  children,  and  our 
children's  children,  are  involved  in  it. 

But  when  I  say,  that  this  world  is  peopled  with  a 
sort  of  semi-suicidal  race  of  mortals,  I  must  back  up 
so  grave  a  charge  with  substantial  evidence.  Hence, 
I  beg  leave  to  call  the  reader's  attention  to  the  brief 
statements  of  individuals  whose  integrity  and  judg- 
ment are  never  questioned. 

Dr.  T.  Southward  Smith,  in  his  examination  before 
the  Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  declares 
that  "  in  every  district  in  which  fever  returns  fre- 
quently, and  prevails  extensively,  there  is  uniformly 


LONGEVITY.  197 


bad  sewerage,  a  bad  supply  of  water,  a  bad  supply 
of  scavengers,  and  a  consequent  accumulation  of 
filth,"  and  "  every  day's  experience  convinces  me  that 
a  very  large  proportion  of  these  is  capable  of  being 
removed  ;  that  if  proper  attention  were  paid  to  sani- 
tary measures,  the  mortality  of  these  districts  would 
be  most  materially  diminished  ;  perhaps  in  some  pla- 
ces one-third ;  in  others  one-half."  Again  says  the 
doctor, "  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  state  that  the  annual 
slaughter  in  England  and  Wales,  from  preventable 
causes  of  Typhus,  which  attacks  persons  in  the  vigor 
of  life,  is  double  the  amount  that  was  suffered  by  the 
allied  armies  in  the  battle  of  Waterloo  !" 

"  Lord  Morpeth  (now  Earl  of  Carlisle)  remarked  in 
the  British  Parliament,"  says  a  writer,  "  in  a  speech 
of  April  30th,  1847,  that  in  the  various  large  towns 
in  England,  there  were  annually  above  700,000  cases 
of  unnecessary  sickness,  and  in  the  metropolis  alone 
there  were  10,000  deaths  that  might  have  been  saved. 
There  are  items  of  expense,  he  observes,  such  as  di- 
rect attendance  on  the  sick  ;  loss  of  what  they  would 
have  earned ;  premature  death  of  productive  con- 
tributors to  the  national  wealth,  and  expense  of  pre^ 
mature  funerals.  Dr.  Playfair  estimates  this  loss 
for  Manchester  at  nearly  £1,000,000,  and  for  the 
whole  of  the  county  of  Lancaster,  at  £4,800,995.  Mr. 
Hawkesly  calculates  the  loss  for  Nottingham  at 
£300,000.  Mr.  Clay  estimates  the  loss  for  Ashton- 
under-Lyne,  at  £235,000,  and  Dr.  Playfair  considers 
the  loss  of  London  to  be  above  £2,500,000,  and  that 
of  England  and  Wales  to  be  little  short  of  11,000,000, 


198  LONGEVITY. 


and  of  the  United  Kingdom  £20,000,000,  or  nearly 
$100,000,000  !     And  this  an  annual  loss  !" 

Indeed  this  looks  as  if  there  was  a  little  chance 
for  improvement  still,  on  the  other  side  of  the  water, 
although  we  are  informed  that, "  within  a  few  months 
after  the  Sanitary  act  went  into  force,  Liverpool 
closed  7,840  cellars,  and  condemned  1,616  filthy  hou- 
ses." "  In  Manchester  the  occupier  of  every  house 
or  dwelling  is  required  to  whitewash,  purify,  and 
cleanse  the  same  on  receiving  notice  so  to  do,  under  a 
penalty  of  5s.  for  each  day's  delay !" 

As  to  the  penalty,  we  would  not  give  much  for  that, 
in  such  a  free  country  as  this,  where  every  man  thinks 
he  has  a  perfect  right  to  take  into  his  own  sleeping 
apartment,  chickens,  and  pigs,  and  goats,  and  dogs, 
presuming  that  no  man  should  complain,  so  long  as  the 
animals  do  not !  The  more  white-wash  brushes, 
however,  and  hands  to  use  them,  the  Europeans  send 
this  way,  the  better.  But  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  those 
who  come  to  purify  our  dwellings,  will  understand 
the  art  of  scrubbing  a  little  better  than  do  some  who 
boast  of  being  native  Americans  ! 

But  how  stands  our  own  country,  in  regard  to  sani- 
tary measures  ?  Let  us  come  a  little  nearer  home, 
and  eacn  one  ask  himself,  What  am  I  doing  to  keep 
the  vital  spark  alive  in  my  own  bosom — to  banish 
the  causes  of  disease  from  my  dwelling,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  spread  of  death  and  desolation  around  me  ? 

"  The  best  of  testimony  informs  us,"  says  Dr.  Cur- 
tis, "  that  near  4,000  deaths,  and  over  75,000  cases  of 
sickness  might  have  been  avoided  in  Boston  within  the 
last  three  years  !  and  that  over  800  deaths,  and  1 6,000 


LONGEVITY.  199 


attacks  of  sickness  might  have  been  prevented  in 
Lowell  within  the  same  time  !  When  we  take  into 
account  the  mental  and  physical  strength  lost  to  the 
community,  in  time  and  labor,  the  cost  of  sickness, 
expense  of  funerals,  &c.,  no  arithmetic  can  calcu- 
late the  detriment  sustained  unnecessarily  by  pre- 
ventable disease  and  death,  even  in  a  pecuniary 
view.  Had  such  a  tax  upon  the  public  resources, 
and  such  a  waste  of  human  life  been  sacrificed  in 
war,  it  would  have  received  greater  attention." 

And  what  shall  we  say  of  our  own  Metropolis, 
where,  during  the  year  1849,  the  average  mortality 
was  one  in  every  twenty-two  minutes  and  twenty  sec- 
onds !  True,  that  year  embraced  the  cholera  season. 
Yet  those  who  fell  by  this  fearful  pestilence  only 
amount  to  5,071.  After  deducting  this  number, 
we  still  have  18,702  to  be  referred  to  other  causes,  a 
number  which  ought  to  be  quite  sufficient  to  awaken 
a  universal  interest  in  sanitary  measures. 

LONGEVITY    IN    THE    COUNTRY,    AND    IN    TOWNS. 

Hundreds,  thousands,  yea,  millions  !  are  interested 
in  the  question,  as  to  the  probabilities  of  health  and 
life  in  large  towns,  compared  with  the  country. 

"  God  made  the  country,  and  man  made  the  town — 
What  wonder  then  that  health  and  virtue,  gifts 
That  can  alone  make  sweet  the  bitter  draught 
That  life  holds  out  to  all,  should  most  abound 
And  least  be  threatened  iu  the  fields  and  groves  ?** 

Cowper. 

*'  Great  towns,"  says  Dr.  Dunglison,  "  have  indeed 
been  regarded  as  the  graves  of  mankind'9  " Hufe- 


200  LONGEVITY. 


land  infers,  that  the  mortality  in  cities  may  be  esti- 
mated at  1  in  25  or  30,  whilst  in  the  country  it  is  not 
more  than  1  in  40  or  50."  This^  I  think  hardly  gives 
towns  their  due. 

In  the  third  annual  report  of  the  Register-General, 
of  Births,  Deaths,  and  Marriages  in  England,  p.  98, 
London  1841,  says  Dr.  Dunglison,  the  annual  mortali- 
ty per  cent,  is  found  to  be  in  the  country  district 
1 ,82 1 ,  whereas  in  the  town  district  it  is  2,620.  "  From 
the  same  report  it  appears,"  he  remarks,  "  that  the 
diseases  chiefly  incidental  to  childhood  are  twice  as 
fatal  in  the  town  districts  as  they  are  in  the  country." 

"  In  a  most  valuable  contribution  to  Hygiene  lately 
made  to  both  houses  of  Parliament  by  the  direction  of 
the  Queen  of  Great  Britain,"  says  the  author  just 
quoted,  "  we  have  returns  of  the  average  ages  of 
death  amongst  the  different  classes  of  people  in 
Manchester  and  Rutlandshire,  which  strikingly  ex- 
hibit the  difference  between  the  amount  of  civic  and 
rural  mortality." 

Manchester.      Rutlandshire. 

YEARS.  YEARS. 

"  Professional. persons,  and  gentry,  and  their 

families, 38  52 

Tradesmen,  and  their  families,  (in  Rutland-} 

shire,  farmers  and  graziers   are  included  >  20  41 

with  shopkeepers,) ) 

Mechanics,  laborers,  and  their  families,....     17  38 

With  the  exception  of  the  first  class,  the  difference 
is  more  than  2  to  1,  but  as  Manchester  and  Rutland- 
shire are  so  far  from  our  own  domicils,  that  their 
bills  of  mortality  produce  little  or  no  effect  upon  our 
faith  or  works,  we  will  again  leave  the  old  world  to 
adopt  such  habits  of  living  as  may  there  be  thought 


LONGEVITY.  201 

________________ _ ^__ — ^— — __ __ _ _ 

advisable,  and  see  what  we  can  find  at  fawie,  in  fa- 
vor of  rural  life. 

The  average  duration  of  life  in  Franklin  county, 
Massachusetts,  in  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut  River, 
as  shown  by  Dr.  Curtis,  is  about  39  years,  while  in 
the  city  of  Boston  it  is  but  22.75.  This  gives  a  dif- 
ference of  70  per  cent,  in  favor  of  the  country  dis- 
trict, or  an  average  addition  of  16  years  for  each 
individual.  Hence  the  question  stands,  whether  it  is 
better  to  live  twenty-three  years  in  Boston,  than  to 
live  thirty-nine  years  in  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut. 
Now  the  reader  must  not  forget  to  make  much  allow- 
ance for  that  tide  of  immigration  which  is  rolling  in 
upon  our  shores,  whose  waves  swell  the  "  ghastly  bills 
of  mortality"  vastly  more  in  our  large  cities  than  in  the 
country.  The  average  age  of  those  buried  in  Catho- 
lic burying-grounds  in  Boston  is  but  1 3  J  years  ! 

Still  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  difference  in  sa- 
lubrity between  civic  and  rural  life,  is  greatly  in 
favor  of  the  latter.  Some  people  are  very  unwilling 
to  believe  this,  or  if  they  are  thoroughly  convinced 
of  the  fact,  prefer  clinging  to  the  city,  though  they 
do  not  live  out  half  their  days  !  I  do  not  mean  to  say 
that  men  cannot  live  to  a  good  old  age  even  in  the 
city.  With  proper  care,  many  can,  and  do.  But  the 
chances  are,  I  believe,  as  I  have  stated.  Especially 
in  hot  weather,  and  a  crowded  city,  do  people  run  a 
greater  risk  of  losing  their  health,  than  in  the  win- 
ter. 

It  is  often  said  that  those  who  leave  the  city  for 
the  summer,  are  as  liable  to  disease,  as  those  who 
remain.  That  many  who  thus  leave  are  frequently 


202  LONGEVITY. 


on  the  sicj:  Kst,  cannot  be  denied ;  and  that  others 
escape,  is  somewhat  remarkable,  for  many  seem  to 
suppose  that  if  they  can  only  get  to  the  country,  the 
particular  ground  on  which  they  tread,  and  the  air 
which  they  are  permitted  to  breathe,  ought  to  atone 
for  every  error  which  they  can  well  commit.  But 
let  the  inhabitants  of  our  goodly  cities,  in  leaving 
town  for  their  health,  take  a  wise  course  to  aid  na- 
ture in  her  work  of  reparation,  and  if  they  do  not 
return  with  better  health,  and  happier  hearts,  and 
brighter  heads,  and  ruddier  faces,  and  prettier  chil- 
dren, and  fatter  babies,  the  author  is  no  prophet. 

But  I  desire  to  have  the  reader  keep  in  mind  one 
practical  thought,  viz. :  that  we  can  have  far  better 
health  than  we  have,  and  see  more  days,  both  in 
town,  and  out,  if  we  will.  It  is  quite  time  that  some- 
thing more  was  done  to  promote  the  health  of  our 
race. 

"  The  United  States  may  be  considered,"  says  a 
writer,  "  as  a  country  in  which  no  legislative  enact- 
ments exist,  regulating  its  sanitary  condition,  for, 
with  the  exception  of  some  municipal  regulations, 
forced  from  the  necessity  of  circumstances  upon  the 
large  cities,  and  a  few  of  the  first  steps  of  legislation 
in  one  or  two  of  the  States  of  the  Union,  each  indi- 
vidual is  permitted  to  exercise  his  own  free  will  in 
regard  to  hygienic  measures,  too  frequently  either 
from  ignorance  of  its  laws,  or  cupidity,  at  the  expense 
of  great  sacrifices  of  human  life." 

Dr.  Guy,  of  Kings  College,  London,  &c.,  says,  <*I 
do  not  fear  the  charge  of  exaggeration,  when  I  claim 
for  the  sanitary  question,  the  right  to  be  regarded  TUP, 


LONGEVITY. 


203 


great  question  of  the  day.  Look  at  it  as  a  question 
of  humanity,  and  it  will  not  suffer  by  comparison 
with  the  highest  efforts  of  the  philanthropist ;  regard 
it  as  a  great  act  of  Justice,  and  here,  too,  you  will 
acknowledge  it  prefers  peculiar  claims  to  considera- 
tion ;  measure  it  by  the  rule  of  economy,  and  I  hesi- 
tate not  to  affirm  that  it  stands  without  a  rival ;  or 
view  it  in  its  moral  relations  and  reactions,  and  I 
know  not  whether  even  the  great  question  of  edu- 
cation will  take  rank  before  it." — (Transactions  of 
the  American  Med.  Association,  Vol.  11,  p.  534. 

The  three  following  tables  show  the  influence  of 
age  on  mortality. 

The  proportion  of  deaths  at  different  periods  of 
life  in  London  has  been  stated  as  follows  : 

Of  23.525  deaths  there  were 


Under  2  years 6.710 

Between  2  and     5 2.347 

"        5  and  10 1.019 

"      10  and  20 949 

'«      20  and  30 1.563 

"      30  and   40 1.902 

"      40  and  50 2.093 

««      50  and   60 2.094 

««      60  and  70 2.153 

"      70  and  80 1.843 

«•      80  and  90 749 

"      90  andlOO 95 

101 1 

108....  2 


or  28.32  per  cent. 
"      9.97      «« 
"      4.33      " 
««      4.03      '« 

6.64 

8. OS 

8.89 

8.89 

9.15 

7.83 

3.18 

0.40     " 

0.0042  " 

O.OOS4  «• 


The  following  table  exhibits  the  average  propor- 
tion of  deaths  at  different  ages,  compared  with  the 
total  number  of  deaths  in  the  cities  of  Philadelphia 
and  Baltimore  ;  the  former  city  embracing  a  period  of 


204  LONGEVITY. 


ten  3'ears,  and  the  latter  four  years,  between  1820 
and  1330. 


Ages.              Philadelphia. 
Per  Cent. 

Under      1     year 
From      1  to      2 

22.7 
8.6 

te 

2  «      5 

7.3 

« 

5  "    10 

4. 

c< 

10  «    20 

5. 

ts 

20  «    30 

12. 

ft 

30  "    40 

12. 

« 

40  «e    50 

10. 

« 

50  «    60 

7.2 

<( 

60  "    70 

5. 

« 

70  "    80 

3.5 

«< 

80  "    90 

1.9     ' 

« 

90  "  100 

0.5 

« 

100  "  110 

0.9 

C( 

110  "  120 

0.013 

Baltimore. 
Per  Cent. 
...24.11 
...  8.55 
...11.18 
...5. 
...  6.  3 
...  9.87 
...10.58 
...  8.88 
...  5.78 
...  4.  5 
...3. 
...  1.67 
...  0.26 

,.  0.18 


In  Manchester  the  proportion  of 

deaths  under  5  years  is  about  50  per  cent 

"  London,                           "  "  "  3S£  " 

"  Massachusetts,  (state,)    "  "  «  34  <c 

««  PhUadelphia,                   '«  ««  "  49  " 

"  Boston,                              "  "  "  42i  •' 

"  Lowell,                              "  "          "  46i  " 

"  Baltimore,                        «'  "  «  48  " 

"  New-York,  (city,)           «  "  ««  47  " 

"  Providence,  R.  I.,            «  «  «  38  " 

<«  Utica,  N.  Y.,                   "  ««          «  40  « 

INFLUENCE    OF    LOCATION    ON    LONGEVITY. 

The  following  statistics,  which  exhibit  the  mor- 
tality per  cent,  of  the  within  named  places,  have 
been  collected  from  various  sources,  yet  as  to  the 
comparative  salubrity  of  the  different  locations,  it 
should  be  remembered  that  all  such  tables  are  mere 


LONGEVITY.  205 

approximations.     In  the  following  table,  fractions 
are  not  included. 

England  1  in  44.  Glasgow,  1  in  44. 

London,  1  in  40.  St.  Petersburg!*,  1  in  37. 

Sweden,  1  in  34.  Manchester^ 
Belgium,  1  in  41 .  and       £  1  in  29. 

Northampton,  1  in  25.  Salford,     3 

Vienna,  1  in  23.  Carlisle,  1  in  40. 

Leghorn,  1  in  35.  Berlin,  1  in  34. 

Rome,  1  in  25.  Paris,  Lyons,  Stras-  * 
Brussels,  1  in  26.  burg,  Barcelona.     5  l  m  32- 

Havana,  I  in  35.  Amsterdam,  1  in  24. 

Geneva,  1  in  43.  Naples,  1  in  23. 

Madrid,  1  in  29.  Nice  and  Palermo,  1  in  31. 
France,  1  in  40. 

UNITED   STATES. 

Charleston,  1  in  44.  Utica,  N.  Y.,  1  in  60. 

Philadelphia,  1  in  43.  Saint  Louis,  1  in  33. 

New- York,  1  in  38.  Baltimore,  1  in  43. 

Providence,  R.  I.,  1  in  41.  Boston,  1  in  34. 

Bristol,  R.  L,  1  in  52.  New  Orleans,  1  in  19. 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  1  in  36.  Lowell,  1  in  42. 

From  the  above  table  Utica  seems  to  stand  at  the 
head  of  the  list,  in  relation  to  salubrity,  as  the  mor- 
tality per  cent,  is  less  than  at  any  other  point  from 
which  I  have  been  able  to  obtain  statistics.  But  al- 
though this  city  is  unquestionably  a  healthy  location, 
yet  I  ought  to  remark,  that  the  statistics  were  taken 
for  so  limited  a  period,  &c.,  that  they  can  hardly  be 
considered  as  reliable  data. 


206 


LONGEVITY. 


INFLUENCE   OF     TEMPERATURE    ON      MORTALITY. 


Months. 

Boston. 

DEATHS. 

1846  to  1848. 

Lowell. 

DEATHS. 

1846  to  1848. 

New-York. 

DEATHS. 

1846  to  1848. 

January, 

698 

120 

3,148 

February, 

669 

150 

3,267 

March, 

678 

152 

3,527 

April, 

794 

157 

3,624 

May, 

846 

143 

3,365 

June, 

810 

178 

3,431 

July, 

998 

263 

4,709 

August, 

1,447 

431 

4,481 

September, 

1,192 

341 

3,859 

October, 

905 

222 

3,173 

^November, 

794 

168 

3,135 

December, 

772 

139 

3,306 

Total, 

10,603 

2,464 

43,025 

The  following  table  shows  the  remarkable  uni- 
formity of  some  diseases  through  all  the  seasons  of 
the  year,  and  the  disparity  of  others. 


Causes  of  Death. 

Winter. 

Spring  . 

Summer. 

Autumn. 

Dropsy  in  the  head, 
Convulsions, 
Consumption, 
Scrofula, 
Cancer, 
Asthm  a, 
Cholera  Infantum, 

1370 
2414 
5600 
72 
276 
1733 
45 

1330 

2298 
5778 
64 
230 
642 
207 

1348 
2532 
5501 
72 
264 
343 
3375 

1231 
2119 
5148 
54 
262 
1080 
918 

LONGEVITY  AFFECTED  BY  AVOCATION,  AS  OBSERVED  IN 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

Agriculturists,         average  age,  64  years. 
Laborers,  *' 

Mechanics,  *' 

Merchants,  * 

Paupers,  " 

Professional  men,       " 
Public  officers,  " 

Seamen,  " 

Consumption,  which  is  emphatically  the  messenger 
of  death  throughout  the   land   from  generation  to 


"  48 

"  46 

«  51 

"  69 

"  48 

"  42 

"  43 


LONGEVITY.  207 


generation,  is  sweeping  off  more  victims  than  any 
other  disease.  And  although  there  are  no  statistics 
to  show  the  extent  of  the  ravages  of  that  fearful 
pestilence,  which  during  the  year  1849  so  often 
caused  the  "  silver  cord  to  be  loosed,  the  golden  bowl 
to  be  broken,"  "  and  man  to  go  to  his  long  home,  and 
the  mourners  to  go  about  the  streets,"  yet  there  is 
every  reason  to  believe,  that  even  during  the  cholera 
season,  the  number  of  deaths  throughout  the  United 
States  by  consumption,  altogether  exceeded  those 
which  were  caused  by  cholera.  Indeed,  in  this  city, 
there  were  nearly  half  as  many  deaths  by  the  for- 
mer as  by  the  latter,  and  in  the  city  of  Boston,  the 
record  stands,  deaths  by  cholera  611,  and  by  con- 
sumption 644.  Whereas,  in  the  country  generally, 
the  balance  is  greatly  in  favor  of  the  cholera. 
From  all  diseases,  the  proportion  of  deaths  by  con- 
sumption, as  far  as  I  can  ascertain,  is  as  follows : — 

New- York  City,  average  per  cent.,  15  3-4 

Baltimore,    «          "        «'  "  171-2 

Providence,  "          «        "  "  18 

Lowell,          « «•  16  1-4 

Boston,         "          ««        "  ««  17  1-3 

Massachusetts,         "         «'  •«  24 

Concord,  N.  H.,       "        "  "  17 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,    "        "  "  14 

Many  interesting  questions  in  relation  to  this  for- 
midable disease,  very  naturally  arise,  which  it  will 
hardly  be  expected  that  I  should  notice  in  this  volume. 
I  will  briefly  hint  at  one  or  two.  Is  the  disease  in- 
creasing in  frequency  ?  It  is  thought  by  many  that 
it  is,  and  we  shall  all  gladly  hail  any  evidence  to  the 


208  LONGEVITY. 


contrary.  In  Massachusetts,  1845,  the  per  cent,  was 
25.67,  but  in  1848,  it  was  only  23.99.  In  Lowell, 
from  1836  to  1845,  inclusive,  the  average  was  17.12, 
whereas,  from  1846  to  1848,  it  was  but  14.79.  In 
Boston,  from  1821  to  1830,  the  per  cent,  was  21.51, 
from  1831  to  1848  only  15.28.  In  the  city  of  New- 
York,  during  the  years  1840/41  and  '42,  the  average 
mortality  per  cent,  by  this  disease  was  16.50,  but 
during  the  years  1846,  '47  and  '48,  it  is  found  to  be 
but  14. 

I  regret  that  I  am  not  in  possession  of  suitable 
statistics  to  enable  me  to  draw  this  interesting  line 
of  comparison  much  further.  In  the  state  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  in  the  cities  of  Lowell,  Boston  and 
New- York,  we  perceive  that  the  average  per  cent, 
is  17,  instead  of  20 J  per  cent,  as  at  the  former  pe- 
riods, which  is  a  very  gratifying  improvement,  and 
especially  when  we  consider  that  the  disease  is 
generally  supposed  to  be  on  the  increase.  But  whe- 
ther this  terrible  scourge  shall  continue  to  wane,  the 
future  alone  can  decide. 

Another  interesting  question,  in  connection  with 
the  one  briefly  noticed,  is,  where  does  consumption 
most  abound,  or  what  climate  is  most  exempt.  Per- 
haps the  reader  would  hardly  believe  me  if  I  should 
say  there  is  no  climate  exempt.  Neither  is  there  as 
much  variation  between  different  climates  as  many 
suppose.  While  the  balance  is  actually  in  favor  of 
the  cold  climate.  Some  seem  to  think,  that  all  they 
have  to  do,  to  escape  this  disease,  is  to  get  away 
to  some  mild  climate.  But  this  is  a  mistake.  Too 
often  a  painful  one  !  Many,  in  consequence  of  this 


LONGEVITY.  209 


error,  leave  a  good  comfortable  home,  and  kind 
friends,  and  pleasant  society,  to  die  in  a  strange  land 
in  the  midst  of  thieves  and  robbers,  who  care  very 
little  how  long  the  soul  and  body  are  kept  together, 
so  be  they  get  the  plunder.  Recollect  that  I  am  now 
speaking  of  genuine  consumption,  and  not  of  chronic 
bronchitis.  This  in  another  disease  entirely,  and  one 
in  which  a  judicious  change  of  climate  may  do 
wonders.  Perhaps  there  is  no  disease  more  suscep- 
tible of  improvement  in  this  very  way,  than  the  one 
last  named.  But  tubercular  consumption  is  quite 
another  thing,  and  when  it  is  clearly  settled  that 
any  man  is  in  the  jaws  of  this  devourer,  he  had 
better  draw  his  friends  a  little  closer  around  him, 
and  not  be  in  a  hurry  about  taking  his  leave  of 
them.  But  of  this  I  need  say  nothing,  as  his  physi- 
cian will  be  the  man  to  give  him  advice  on  this  im- 
portant subject. 

But,  circumstances  may  compel  the  reader,  how- 
ever perfect  his  health,  to  leave  his  own  fire-side, 
and  the  land  of  his  fathers,  to  become  a  citizen  of  an 
untried  location  or  climate,  and  possibly  he  may 
think  that  he  ought  to  find  a  better  guide  than  he 
has  yet  discovered  in  this  book  of  "  Hints" 

Having  a  desire  to  furnish  him  with  something 
practical  on  so  important  a  subject,  that  he  may 
refer  to  it  hereafter  (if  necessary)  with  profit,  I  beg 
leave  to  present  a  few  statistics  which  I  have  col- 
lected from  that  admirable  work,  "  The  Climate  of 
the  United  States,  1842,"  by  the  late  talented  and 
lamented  Samuel  Forry,  M.  D.,  Surgeon  of  the 
United  States  Army,  which  is  undoubtedly  the  best 
work  of  the  kind  ever  published. 


210  LONGEVITY. 


The  facts  which  I  have  selected  are  of  great  in- 
terest for  many  reasons.  In  the  first  place,  no  phy- 
sician can  get  an  appointment  in  the  army  who 
does  not  thoroughly  understand  his  profession. 
Hence  he  is  qualified  to  decide  upon  the  character  of 
disease.  He  has  also  time  and  opportunity  for  in- 
vestigation. He  becomes  familar  with  the  various 
morbific  agents  and  influences  which  abound  at  the 
several  stations,  and  is  consequently  better  prepared 
to  speak  of  the  comparative  salubrity  of  the  several 
posts,  than  any  other  man. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  the  army  is  composed  of 
men  whose  age  embraces  that  period  of  life  which 
is  most  favorable  to  longevity,  on  the  one  hand, 
and  of  men  whose  habits  are  not  the  best  calcu- 
lated to  increase  the  probabilities  of  old  age, 
on  the  other.  This  is  true,  but  it  does  not  affect 
the  question  as  to  the  comparative  salubrity  of 
different  stations  in  the  least.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  soldiers  are  soldiers,  wherever  you  find 
them.  They  are  generally  men  of  the  same  taste, 
same  habits,  and  the  same  pursuits,  whether  in  Mi- 
chigan or  Florida. 

If  we  should  compare  the  bills  of  mortality  in  the 
camp  with  those  in  the  city,  it  would  be  a  very  dif- 
ferent thing.  Hence  the  beauty  and  the  fitness  of  the 
comparison  in  the  following  tables  consist  in  this — 
that  the  soldier's  fare  in  health  is  very  much  the  same 
at  all  the  stations,  and  when  he  is  on  the  sick  list,  he 
is  neither  killed  by  self -treatment,  nor  destroyed  by 
quacks.  Consequently  we  consider  facts  accumula- 
ted from  such  a  source,  worthy  of  notice. 


LONGEVITY. 


The  reader  will  bear  in  mind,  that  in  order  to  give 
a  correct  view  of  the  average  ratio  of  deaths  by  dis- 
ease at  the  different  stations,  the  cases  of  cholera, 
gunshot  wounds,  suicide,  drowning,  and  all  casual- 
ties have  been  excluded. 

NORTHERN   DIVISION    OP   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


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LONGEVITY. 


MIDDLE    DIVISION    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES. 


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.0 

Fort  Delaware, 

39  35 

75  29 

54 

3. 

fi 

"  McHenry,  Bait.  Har. 

39  17 

76  36 

4 

1.7 

3 

**  Severn,  Md. 

38  58 

76  27 

4 

3. 

it 

"  Washington,  Md. 
**  Monroe,  Va. 

38  41 
37     2 

76  5856  57 
76  1261  43 

93 
93 

9— 
20— 

4 
4 

2. 

3.2 

*^  o 

§0 

Belona  Arsenal,  Va. 

37  30 

5 

2.4 

Fort  Moultrie,  S.  C. 

32  40 

79  56,65  78 

90 

21— 

5 

3. 

fl 

"  Johnson,  N.  C. 

34 

78     566  96 

90 

28—6 

3.1 

04 

Oglethorpe  Barracks,  Ga. 

32     4 

81     7 

5 

3. 

* 

r  Jefferson  Barracks,  Mo. 

38  28 

90     8 

58  14 

96 

7— 

34 

3.5 

fi 

Fort  Gjbson,  Ark. 

35  47 

95  10 

62  90 

104 

15— 

3 

4v5 

"  Smith,      « 

35  22 

94  10 

3 

4^7 

nS  ^ 

"  Towson,  I.  T. 

33  51 

95     1 

4i 

2. 

1 

«  Jesup,  La. 

31  30 

93  47 

68  03   96 

19—4    3. 

SOUTHERN   DIVISION   OF   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


3 

Augusta  Arsenal,  Ga. 
Fort  Mitchell,          " 

33  2S 
32  19 

81  53 
85  10 

66  01 

98 

f\r 

st 

3.5 
3. 

§~s 

Baton  Rogue,  La. 

30  36 

91  23 

34 

6.2 

fl  , 

New  Orleans,  " 

29  57 

90  14 

71  25 

94 

30— 

4.3 

^s 

Fort  Pike, 

30  10 

89  38 

71  25 

94 

30— 

8 

2 

l| 

"  Wood,      " 

30     5 

89  51 

3* 

51 

«'  Jackson,  « 

29  29 

89  71 

4 

5.5 

-  j  f  Fort  Marion,  Fa. 

29  50 

81  27 

72  66 

92 

39— 

54 

2.7 

«3  J      "  King, 

29  12 

82  12 

72  66 

105 

27— 

4? 

2. 

$  o  ]      "  Brooke,     " 

27  57 

82  35 

73  43 

92 

35— 

44 

2. 

jgS  LKey  West,       " 

24  33 

81  52 

76  09 

89 

52— 

24 

9.6 

LONGEVITY.  2l3 


As  the  temperature  at  many  of  the  posts  is  not 
given,  I  am  compelled  to  leave  so  much  of  the  above 
tables  blank.  But  with  all  their  imperfections,  it  will 
probably  be  admitted  that  they  are  not  altogether 
devoid  of  interest.  To  my  own  mind  it  is  very  obvi- 
ous that  those  who  complain  so  much  of  atmospheric 
vicissitudes,  and  shudder  at  the  thought  of  a  strong 
northwest  blast,  labor  under  a  very  great  mistake 
when  they  suppose  that  an  even-every-day-straight- 
along-temperature  is  conducive  to  health.  It  is  far 

from  it. 

• 

KEY    WEST. 

Where  do  we  find  the  highest  bills  of  mortality  at 
the  different  military  stations  in  the  United  States  ? 

Just  where  we  find  the  least  range  of  temperature, 
that  is,  where  there  is  the  least  variation,  viz :  at  Key 
West,  where  it  is  neither  hot  nor  cold,  but  luke-warm, 
the  great  desideratum,  according  to  common  opinion. 
At  that  post  we  discover  that  nearly  one  in  every  ten 
die  annually,  and  yet  it  is  never  so  warm  by  10°  as 
it  is  in  New- York,  nor  so  cold  by  50°  ! 

But  not  only  do  the  bills  of  mortality  at  this  post 
greatly  exceed  those  of  every  other  given  in  the  ta- 
bles above,  but  how  stands  the  bills  of  "  morbility  ?" 
It  might  so  happen  that  ten  men  in  a  hundred  should 
become  sick  and  die,  and  yet  the  remaining  90  con- 
tinue in  perfect  health.  Again,  the  whole  army,  to  a 
man,  might  suffer  from  disease,  and  not  one  die.  Hence 
we  discover  that  the  number  of  deaths  at  any  place 
may  be  a  very  imperfect  criterion  for  the  amount  of 
disease  which  may  prevail.  But  we  find  the  bills  at 


214  LONGEVITY. 


this  post  no  more  favorable  in  regard  to  the  number 
of  invalids.  What  is  the  average  ? 

Every  man  is  on  the  sick  list  once  in  2  J  months ! 
This  is  not  a  very  flattering  account  of  the  "land  of 
flowers." 

But  some  may  say,  there  must  be  something  more 
than  this  remarkable  equilibrium  of  the  temperature 
at  Key  West,  to  make  it  so  insalubrious.  Doubtless 
there  is ;  and  as  it  would  hardly  be  proper  to  take 
this  single  post  to  prove  the  statement  just  made,  in 
relation  to  changes  of  temperature,  let  us  turn  our 
attention  for  a  moment  to  the  north. 

FORT   HOWARD. 

At  Fort  Howard,  Green  Bay,  we  find  the  range  of 
temperature  to  be  123°,  that  is,  the  mercury  runs  up 
to  98°  in  summer,  and  falls  down  to  25°  below  zero 
in  winter,  yet  the  number  of  deaths  average  but 
1 J  per  cent.,  while  the  men  upon  an  average  are  sick 
once  in  six  months  only. 

FORT   CONSTITUTION. 

At  Fort  Constitution,  N.  H.,  where  the  range  is  97o, 
the  deaths  amount  to  a  little  more  than  1  per  cent., 
and  every  man's  name  is  enrolled  on  the  sick  list 
only  once  in  17£  months  I 

WEST  POINT. 

It  will  be  observed  that  West  Point,  on  the  Hudson, 
reports  the  lowest  bill  of  mortality  given  in  the  ta- 
bles ;  that  is,  less  than  ^  per  cent.,  and  yet  its  sick  list 
is  exceeded  only  by  those  of  Key  West.  But  the  mor- 


LONGEVITY.  215 


tality  per  cent,  is  undoubtedly  too  low,  as  it  appears 
that  several  invalids  were  sent  away  from  that  post 
to  die  in  other  climes.  The  reader  will  also  bear  in 
mind  that  when  we  speak  of  the  sick  list  in  the  army 
that  invalids  are  exempt  from  duty,  and  it  is  a  very  easy 
matter  for  lazy  bones  to  have  aching  heads,  and  in- 
dolent students  to  find  a  hiding  place  from  their 
books.  But  what  is  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  mat- 
ter touching  the  comparative  salubrity  between 
the  northern  and  southern  divisions  of  the  United 
States  ? 

It  cannot  be  doubted  that  there  are  many  places 
of  great  salubrity  in  the  southern  and  southwestern 
states.  But  our  tables  show  us  very  conclusively 
that  in  the  army  at  least,  the  balance  in  favor  of  the 
northern  division  as  a  whole,  is  more  than  2  to  1. 


Now  I  think  the  reader  had  better  stop  complaining 
of  our  northern  ventilators,  and  instead  of  saying 
*  this  change  is  going  to  make  every  body  sick,"  say 
that  it  will  do  more  good  than  hurt.  It  will  generally 
be  nearer  the  truth,  and  a  more  desirable  conclusion. 
It  is  time  that  we  begin  to  look  at  the  other  side  of 
the  picture.  Let  us  have  the  changes,  have  anything 
but  stagnation,  though  all  should  guard  against  tak- 
ing cold,  by  being  well  clad,  and  taking  the  air  every 
day.  True  some  may  receive  injury,  while  multi- 
tudes will  be  benefitted,  though  few  will  own  it. 

Suppose  you  do  take  a  little  cold  by  -the  "  change 
of  the  weather,"  as  you  say,  which  half  the  time  you  do 

not  know  to  be  a  fact,  what  then  ?     You  had  better 
10 


tie 


LONGEVITY. 


even  do  this,  now  and  then,  than  to  have  something 
worse  take  you. 

But  let  us  remember  one  thing  ;  the  more  frequent 
the  vicissitudes,  the  more  harmless.  Those  who  live 
in  Key  West,  are  as  sensitive  to  a  change  of  tempera- 
ture of  5°  as  we  are  in  New- York  to  a  variation  of 
20°.  But  the  changes  do  not  equally  purify  the  at- 
mosphere. 

FACTS    BETTER     THAN    THEORIES. 

But  as  theories  are  worth  little  to  the  hungry  for 
food,  or  to  the  sick  for  physic,  I  will  call  the  attention 
of  the  reader  to  some  facts  in  relation  to  the  compara- 
tive prevalence  of  some  of  the  more  common  diseases 
among  the  troops  at  different  places. 


Ratio  treated  per  1000  mean  strength. 

i 

1 

- 

fl 

. 

S 

fe 

cc 

p 

^ 

-- 

c3 

Systems  of  Climate. 

1 

7 

, 

13 
B 

fr 

£ 

0) 

i 

. 

c 

cd 

1 

c 

g 

£ 

1 

o 

E 

K 

... 

§ 

cS 

5 

1 

.2 

J 

s 

^3 
u 

i 

: 

I 

i 

qj 

fl 

5 

d 

0 

H 

r 

Po-t<=  on  coast  of  N.   E. 

233 

j2 

g 

170 

no 

13 

36 

26 

5. 

"  Nth.  chain  of  Lakes. 

JOG 

L9 

30 

9 

253 

151 

16 

193 

33 

4. 

ill 

"  Remote  from  ocean 

fc    I 

and  inland  seas. 

352 

'  ' 

28 

5 

305 

136 

15 

151 

24 

.9 

"=>  c?  £ 

From  Del.  B.  to  Savan 

271 

,.-, 

32 

:: 

155 

126 

27 

370 

181 

3. 

Southwestern  Stations. 

290 

.- 

52 

; 

597 

112 

25 

747 

ISO 

4. 

£  e  ( 

Posts  on  the  lower  Mis. 
Posts  in  Florida. 

218 

43 

.'2 

16 

2- 

j 

inn 
195 

90 
119 

66 

18 

.is.-,  ion 

5-20102 

13. 
.7 

LONGEVITY.  21 7 


The  above  table  contains  statistics  highly  interesting 
to  the  medical  philosopher,  and  all  others.  Contrary 
to  common  opinion  we  perceive  that  consumption 
actiuilly  prevails  more  at  the  south  than  it  does  at 
the  north,  while  it  falls  the  most  heavily  upon  the 
inhabitants  of  the  middle  division.  But  this  is  not 
all.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  to  see  how  little  influ- 
ence colds  have,  in  producing  consumption.  A  per- 
son suffering  with  this  disease,  can  hardly  be  found 
who  does  not  attribute  the  attack  to  such  a  cause. 
It  is  the  almost  universal  impression  that  colds  lead 
to  consumption,  and  an  erroneous  one  undoubtedly ; 
that  is,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  understood.  If  an 
individual  has  a  consumptive  diathesis,  or  strong  pre- 
disposition to  this  scourge  of  our  race,  with  more  or 
ubercles  in  the  lungs  in  a  latent  state,  a  cold 
may,  and  does  frequently  cause  the  germs  to  sprout, 
and  the  disease  to  be  rapidly  developed  ;  and  so  may 
any  other  malady  do  the  same  thing.  Inflammation 
of  the  lungs  often  does  it,  and  fevers  far  more  fre- 
quently than  colds,  although  we  hear  little  complaint 
from  this  source. 

INTERESTING    COMPARISONS. 

Now  turn  your  eye  to  the  table,  and  you  will  see 
as  in  a  mirror,  the  subject  presented  in  a  clear  light. 
In  that  section  of  the  northern  division  of  the  United 
States  which  is  remote  from  the  ocean  and  inland 
seas,  we  find  reported  552  cases  of  colds  and  influ- 
enza to  each  1000  men,  while  the  number  of  con- 
sumptives on  the  list  is  but  5. 

Again,  turn  your  eye  to  that  portion  of  the  middle 


218  LONGEVITY. 


division  from  Delaware  Bay  to  Savannah,  and  you 
behold  at  once,  that  catarrhal  affections,  or  colds, 
have  diminished  to  the  number  of  271,  whereas  the 
cases  of  consumption  have  increased  to  13.  In  this 
division,  we  find  colds  a  little  less  than  half  as  fre- 
quent as  in  the  other  division,  while  consumption  is 
increased  nearly  three-fold.  This  may  be  consider- 
ed a  remarkable  fact.  Moreover  on  the  New  Eng- 
land coast  in  the  northern  division,  we  find  the  cases 
of  colds  reported,  to  be  less  than  half  as  numerous 
as  those  noticed  in  another  section  of  this  division, 
and  yet  consumption  is  nearly  twice  as  frequent. 

But  a  safer  criterion  will  be  found  in  the  compari- 
son of  the  entire  northern  with  the  southern  and  mid- 
dle divisions,  which  stands  as  follows :  The  average 
number  of  colds  and  influenza  (another  name  for 
colds)  is  for  the  northern,  362  ;  for  the  southern  and 
middle  divisions,  255.  The  average  ratio  of  con- 
sumptive cases  for  the  former  section,  is  7|,  and  for 
the  latter  10$. 

TWO    QUESTIONS    SETTLED. 

These  facts  seem  to  settle  two  important  questions 
viz. :  that  colds  have  little  to  do  in  producing  consump- 
tion, as  to  being  the  prime  cause,  and,  that  this  dis- 
ease is  obviously  more  fatal  in  the  southern  than  in 
the  northern  portions  of  our  country.  Yet  bronchitis, 
as  before  remarked,  and  many  throat  affections, 
are  often  greatly  relieved  or  entirely  cured,  by  a  resi- 
dence in  a  warm  climate  during  the  cold  season. 

But  I  remarked  that  fevers  more  frequently  than 
colds,  develop  consumption.  Now,  if  this  is  a  true 
statement,  we  ought  to  find  consumption  the  most  fre- 


LONGEVITY.  219 


quent  where  fevers  most  prevail,  as  we  have  already 
found  it  most  unfrequent  where  colds  most  prevail ; 
and  this  we  find  to  be  the  fact,  notwithstanding  the 
long  defended  doctrine,  that  a  malarial  region  is  the 
proper  residence  for  a  consumptive  patient.  Of  the 
four  different  forms  of  fever  named  in  the  last  table, 
we  find  the  average  number  of  cases  to  be  for  the 
North  and  the  South  respectively  as  follows : — For 
the  former,  192  per  1000  men;  while  the  list  of  the 
latter  is  found  to  embrace  the  enormous  number  of 
708.  And  this,  it  will  be  remembered,  does  not  in- 
clude yellow-fever,  which  every  one  knows  to  be 
almost  exclusively  confined  to  the  South. 

We  further  find  the  average  number  of  cases  of 
diarrhoea  and  dysentery  in  the  southern  and  middle 
districts  to  be,  500  per  1000  men;  wrhereas,  in  the 
northern  division,  the  number  is  but  243.  Hence 
we  may  safely  infer  that,  whatever  tends  to  impair 
the  constitution,  tends  to  develop  consumption  in 
every  class  who  are  predisposed,  and  in  all  climates 
and  countries. 

This  view  of  the  subject  ought  to  stimulate  all 
to  religiously  adopt  such  measures,  select  such  pur- 
suits, choose  such  climates,  and  practice  such  habits, 
as  seem  best  adapted  to  secure  a  vigorous  constitu- 
tion. 

There  are  several  other  points  of  interests  in  the 
foregoing  table  which  might  be  examined  with  pro- 
fit, did  time  permit.  It  is  somewhat  surprising  to 
find  that  there  are  more  cases  of  rheumatism  report- 
ed at  Key  West,  than  on  the  New  Engand  Coast, 
inasmuch  as  this  disease  has  generally  been  consi- 


220 


LONGEVITY. 


dered  as  the  very  offspring  of  cold  and  moist  cli- 
mates. Persons  afflicted  with  this  complaint,  do 
often  find  great  relief  in  visiting  a  mild  climate,  but 
they  generally  return  to  be  more  affected  than  ever. 
And,  indeed,  some  who  never  suspected  any  danger 
from  this  form  of  disease  previous  to  a  residence  in 
a  warm  climate,  find  themselves  peculiarly  obnoxious 
to  an  attack  on  returning.  Such  was  the  case  with 
the  author  of  the  work  from  which  I  have  drawn  so 
many  interesting  facts.  The  following  table  exhibits 
the  ratio  of  mortality  in  the  armies  of  different 
nations. 

Per  Cent, 


United  States  Troops — Northern  Division, 

<«  «  *<          Middle  and  Southern  Divisions, 

European  Troops  in  the  East  Indies,     - 
Native  Troops  in  Madras,  - 

French  Army  on  the  Home  Station,        - 
Prussian  Army,  „------ 

British  Troops  serving  at  home,       - 
British  Troops  in  the  West  Indies  (White), 

«•      (Colored),   - 

"         ««         in  the  Bermudas,         - 
«         "         Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  - 

"         Canada, 

«         ««         New  Foundiand,     - 

««         "         Gibralter, 

"         «*         Malta, 

Ionian  Islands,  •         • 

at  Ceylon,        - 

Mauritius,  - 

Cape  of  Good  Hope,        - 

at  Bombay,         -         -         -         - 

at,  Madras,        - 

New  South  Wales,      - 

Australian  Colonies,         - 

Western  Coast  of  Africa,    - 


1.5 
4.2 
5.7 
1.4 
2.0 
1.1 

1  7 
9.5 
3-8 
2.9 
1.4 
1.5 
3.3 
2.1 
1.1 

2  4 
4.3 
3.5 
1.8 
3.8 
5.2 
1.4 
1.4 

40.0 


LONGEVITY.  .  221 

TABLE    OP    AXXUAL    DEATHS    IX    XEYP-YORK. 


d 

1 

.2 

"5 

o 

+s 

c, 
u 

0 

~_, 

Ci 

1 

1* 

I 

•2,297    75,770  1  in  35 

4,734 

2,174 

202,589 

I  in  39 

5,991 

ISO 

1  ,9-50 

'J.975 
5,354 

ChoPa. 

96,373 

1  in  46 

6,bOS 

Chora. 

270,069.1  in  41 

-172 

7,503 

2,207 

100,619 

1  in  42 

7,314 

312,710 

1  in  40 

184! 

123,700 

lin  37 

154--) 

371,223 

I  in  33 

3,026 

10,079 

1^  1" 

14,441 

fir      1? 

ly.  t 

1  /?  —  1 

iGG,nsc 

1  in  34 

1849 

23,77;. 

I  in  19 

Chol'a. 

t  ,u  i  i 
1,890 

190,67(i 

,S43 

71,518 

Total         2G2,19i 

It  is  interesting  to  observe  in,  the  above  table,  that 
the  ratio  of  deaths  at  the  last  census  (1845)  is  the 
mean  mortality  of  the  nine  preceding  quinquennial 
periods,  viz.:  1  in  38.  During  the  period  which  the 
table  enbraces,  more  than  three  times  as  many  inhabi- 
have  died  as  the  city  contained  in  thft  year 
1805, and  nearly  as  many  as  the  whole  town  embraced 
in  1835.  But  notwitli  ;  that  wo  have  L 

more  inhabitants  within  this  short  period  than   any 
other   city    in  the  Union   now    contains,  with   one 


222  LONGEVITY. 


exception,  yet  it  is  interesting  to  observe  the  con- 
tinued and  rapid  growth  of  the  Metropolis.  It  is, 
however,  a  melancholy  reflection  to  call  to  mind,  that 
many  of  our  fellow-citizens,  beyond  the  shadow  of  a 
doubt,  might  now  be  with  us,  rejoicing  in  health,  and 
in  the  prosperity  of  our  city,  (who  now  have  no  part 
in  all  that  pertains  to  time,)  if  proper  attention  had 
been  paid  to  sanitary  measures.  The  importance  of 
this  subject  deeply  affects  the  physician,  who  would 
gladly  induce  the  living  to  awake  and  banish  those 
pestiferous  agents  which  call  so  loudly  and  so  fre- 
quently for  drugs  and  doctors,  shrouds  and  coffins. 
But  what  can  he  do,  if  the  multitude  sleep  on  and 
give  no  heed  to  his  counsels  ? 

To  see  my  neighbor's  house  on  fire,  while  all  with- 
in remain  in  a  sound  sleep,  and  refuse  to  give  the 
alarm,  would  be  to  exhibit  the  spirit  of  a  demon. 
But  what  better  spirit  would  that  father  exhibit,  who, 
after  being  warned,  would  deliberately  let  his  chil- 
dren perish  in  the  flames,  without  an  effort  to  save 
them? 

TOO    DILATORY. 

So  when  the  community  are  warned  of  their  dan- 
ger— when  the  city  and  state  authorities  are  conjured 
to  act  the  part  of  safety  and  wisdom — when  means 
and  measures  are  pointed  out  which  cannot  be  neg- 
lected with  impunity,  and  when  fatal  consequences, 
of  inattention  and  delay,  so  frequently  overwhelm 
perishing  immortals,  the  conclusion  is  naturally  forced 
upon  us,  that  something,  yea,  much,  is  wrong  !  that 
nothing  less  than  criminal  indifference  lie?  at  the  doors 


LONGEVITY;  223 


of  those  who  are  clothed  with  authority  to  banish 
those  dens  of  filth  and  sources  of  pestilence,  which 
so  often  convert  a  town  or  portion  thereof,  into  a  pest- 
house,  while  these  guardians  of  health  perhaps  move 
on  with  as  much  unconcern,  as  though  the  edict  had 
never  gone  forth,  "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt 
thou  return." 

SANITARY    COMMITTEE. 

But  let  not  the  reader  for  a  moment  suppose  that 
this  matter  of  self-preservation  belongs  exclusively  to 
doctors,  or  jurors,  or  boards  of  health,  or  corporations, 
or  state  authorities — but  to  his  own  conscience  and 
to  community,  must  every  one  account  for  the  amount 
of  effort  which  he  has  put  forth  for  his  own,  or  his 
neighbor's  weal  or  woe.  It  is  time  that  fathers  and 
mothers  fully  realize  that  they  are  largely  responsi- 
ble for  the  health  of  their  children.  Let  parents  re- 
member that  they  are  expected  to  constitute  a  "  sani- 
tary committee?  for  each  household. 

"  In  the  very  able  Report  of  the  Hon.  Horace  Mann, 
as  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education,  in  1843,  the 
Hon.  Secretary  says,  '*  The  study  of  the  laws  of  life 
and  hygiene,  or  the  rules  and  observances  by  which 
health  can  be  preserved  and  promoted,  has  claims  so 
superior  to  every  other  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  so 
little  regarded  or  understood  by  the  community,  that 
I  shall  ask  the  indulgence  of  the  board,  while  I  en- 
deavor to  vindicate  its  title  to  the  first  rank  in  our 
schools,  after  the  elementary  branches  ;"  and  this  he 
tloes  in  a  very  eloquent  and  convincing  manner. 
Here  he  aims  at  a  most  important  principle,  that  of 
10* 


224  LONGEVITY. 

teaching  our  children  and  youth  those  essential  mat- 
ters, which,  if  observed,  will  prevent  much  sickness, 
enlarge  capacities  for  happiness  and  usefulness,  and 
prolong  life. 

"  The  cardinal  reason  why  the  laws  of  health  and 
life  are  so  little  regarded  at  present,  is  found  in  the 
great  prevalence  of  an  ignorance   of  them  through- 
out the   community,  or,  as  the  writer  above  quoted 
has  it,  "  Sheer  ignorance  of  facts  and  principles  which 
every  parent,  b<j  virtue  of  his  parental  relation,  is  as 
much  bound  to  know,  as  a  judge  is  bound  to  know  the 
civil  or  criminal  law  which  he  undertakes  to  admin- 
ister ;  or  a  juror,  in  a  case  of  life  and  death,  is  bound 
to  understand  the  evidence  on  which  his  verdict  is  to 
be  rendered,"     "  The  graduates  of  colleges  and  theo- 
logical seminaries  who  would  be  ashamedif  they  did 
not  know  that  Alexander's  horse  was  named  Bucepha- 
lus or  had  not  read  Middleton's  octavo  volume  on  the 
Greek  Article,  are  often  profoundly  ignorant  of  the 
great  laws  which  God  has  impressed  on  their  physi- 
cal frame,  and  which,  under  penalty  of  forfeiting  life 
and  usefulness,  he  has  commanded  them  to  know 
and  obey."     It  is  this  that   allows  eminent  divines, 
and  others  of  high,  general  intelligence,  to  give  their 
recommendations  to  vague  nostrums,  and  lend  their 
influence  to  vain  pretenders,  thus  occupying  a  posi- 
tion where  they  cast  a  most  baneful  shadow  upon  the 
vital   interests  of  their  fellow-men."—  Trans,  of  the 
Am.  Med.  Association,  Vol.  1 1,  p.  491.) 

44  Although  something  has  been  done  in  this  State" 
(Mass.),"  when  compared  with  other  states  in  the  con- 
federacy, insomuch  that  those  interested  in  sanitary 


LONGEVITY.  225 


improvement,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  have  pointed 
to  Massachusetts  as  bavin?  set  an  example  worthy 
the  imitation  of  her  sister  states,  yet  we  are  far,  very 
far,  in  the  rear  of  what  we  ought  to  be,  when  the 
great  and  vital  importance  of  the  subject  is  duly  con- 
sidered. 

"  We  have  legislated,  usque  ad  nauseum,  on  almost 
everything  but  that  which  concerns  us  most,  namely, 
the  sure  sources  of  health  and  life,  and  consequent 
happiness  and  prosperity.  By  legislation,  we  have 
protected  the  beasts  of  the  fields,  the  fowls  of  the  air, 
and  the  fish  of  the  sea ;  by  legislation,  we  have  en- 
couraged the  arts  and  sciences,  except  those  which 
would  most  directly  enable  us  to  live  long,  useful,  and 
happy  ;  by  legislation,  we  have  granted  privileges  to 
the  manufacturer,  developed  the  resources  of  the  ag- 
riculturist, and  directly  or  indirectly  offered  rewards 
for  the  best  cattle,  the  fleetest  horses,  and  the  fattest 
hogs  ;  have  extended  inducements  for  the  best  build- 
ings, greatest  crops,  and  most  improved  implements, 
all  of  which  is  most  praiseworthy  ;  but  we  have  neg- 
lected to  use  the  means  for  securing  attainable  lon- 
gevity and  exalted  happiness,  as  well  as  some  of  the 
most  prolific  sources  of  State  wealth." — T.  A.  Med. 
A.  Vol.  11, p.  493. 


PRISON  MORTALITY. 

As  there  are  many  Howards  still  upon  the  stage 
who  feel  for  the  prisoner,  and  weep  over  fallen  hu- 
manity, possibly  the  reader  may  be  inclined  to  spend 
a  moment  in  examining  a  very  few  brief  statis- 
tics of  Prisons. 

A  letter  of  inquiry  being  directed  to  every  State 
Prison  in  the  United  States,  soliciting  an  answer 
from  such  as  could  make  it  convenient  to  forward 
the  desired  data,  the  writer  is  happy  to  acknowledge 
his  great  indebtedness  to  the  following  gentlemen  for 
a  kind  and  prompt  response,  vix.  : 

Charles  Frick,  M.  D.,  physician  to  the  Md.  Peni- 
tentiary. J.  Goodwin,  Esq.,  agent  of  the  Mich.  State 
Prison.  A.  P.  Dorris,  M.  D.,  physician  to  the  Mo. 
State  Prison.  W.  C.  Sneed,  M.  D.,  physician  to  the 
Ky.  Penitentiary.  J.  H.  Hanmack,  agent  of  the  Ark. 
State  Prison.  T.  W.  Mason,  M.  D.,  physician  to  the 
Ala.  Penitentiary.  And  for  "  Annual  Reports,"  the 
author  is  indebted  to  the  following  gentlemen,  viz. : 
Thomas  VV.  Hayward,  Esq.,  Warden  of  the  R.  I.  State 
Prison.  Col.  L.  Dewey,  Warden  of  the  Ohio  Peni- 
tentiary. Benj.  Carr,  Esq.,  Warden  of  the  Me.  State 
Prison.  B.  K.  Hart,  M.  D.,  physician  to  the  111.  State 
Prison.  B.  Fosgate,  M.  D.,  physician  to  the  N.  Y. 
State  Prison  at  Auburn — said  last  Report  embraces 
statistics  of  the  three  State  Prisons  in  New-York,  viz. : 
at  Auburn,  Clinton,  and  Sing  Sing ;  and  also  to  J.  C.  Co- 
vel,  M.  D.,  physician  to  the  city  prison,  is  he  indebted 
for  an  annual  report  of  the  Governors  of  the  Almshouse, 


PRISON  MORTALITY. 


227 


embracing  vital  statistics  of  the  New- York  City  Pris- 
on. 

Although  the  author  did  hope  to  present  a  more 
perfect  report  of  State  Prison  statistics,  than  he  is  at 
present  able  to  give,  yet  it  is  believed  that  the 
few  items  collected  are  worthy  of  notice. 

In  preparing  the  following  table,  deaths  by  chole- 
ra, casualties,  and  suicides,  have  been  excluded.  And 
in  the  average  term  of  sentence,  those  of  course  are 
not  included  who  are  incarcerated  for  life. 


Location 

of  Prisons. 

Time  embraced 
in  statistics. 

Average  No.  of  1 
convicts. 

fi 

&% 
1% 
% 

Mean  mortality. 

Years. 

Years. 

Alabama             at 

Wetumpka, 

9 

3* 

in    10 

Pennsylvania      " 

Philadelphia, 

20 

121 

3 

"     11 

Illinois 

Alton, 

2 

120 

"     13 

Rhode  Island      " 

Providence, 

2 

23 

4| 

"     15 

New-York             " 

New-York  city, 

1 

390 

"     17 

Pennsylvania      " 

Philadelphia  co.P. 

14 

20J 

"     18 

Connecticut         " 

Wethersfield, 

"     IS 

Virginia 

"     22 

Maryland              " 

Baltimore, 

18 

321 

31 

«     24 

Pennsylvania       " 

Pittsburgh, 

"     25 

Maine                   " 

Thomaston, 

25 

38 

5f 

"     35 

New-York 

Sing  Sing, 

1 

716 

5| 

"     36 

(C                                         (C 

Clinton, 

1 

157 

4J 

"     39 

Ohio 

Columbus, 

16 

415 

4i 

"     46. 

Arkansas               *' 

Little  gock, 

10 

33 

«e     49 

New  -York,            «« 

Auburn, 

1 

512 

4i 

"     73 

Ne\vIIampshire  " 

Concord, 

36 

•«     79 

Massachusetts     '* 

Charlestown, 

"  100 

Missouri                «* 

Jefferson  City, 

5 

150 

c<  107 

Michigan               " 

Jackson, 

10 

97 

"   107 

Kentucky              " 

Frankfort, 

6 

166 

1     "  111 

228  PRISON     MORTALITY. 


In  looking  over  the  above  table,  the  reader  will 
probably  be  struck  with  the  great  disparity  in  the 
bilte  of  mortality  of  the  different  prisons,  and  may 
feel  inclined  to  ask  what  rneaneth  this,  that  ten 
times  as  many  die  annually  in  the  .Eastern  Peniten- 
tiary of  Pennsylvania  and  eleven  times  as  many  in 
Alabama  prison,  as  in  the  prison  of  Kentucky  ?  This 
important  question  I  do  not  pretend  to  answer ;  but 
if  I  was  a  physician  to  either  of  those  prisons  in 
which  less  than  three  out  of  four  live  to  serve  their 
time,  out,  I  might  feel  inclined  to  investigate  the 
matter  a  little.  But  as  I  have  had  no  experience 
in  the  management  of  such  institutions,  it  would 
hardly  become  me  to  give  advice  to  those  who  have, 
yet  something  must  be  wrong,  and  especially  in  so 
salubrious  a  locality  as  Philadelphia.  Hence,  one 
can  hardly  refrain  from  advising  all  the  uncaught 
rogues  in  the  Key  Stone  State,  who  will  not  reform, 
at  least,  to  emigrate  to  Kentucky,  before  further  pro- 
secuting their  vocation,  unless  it  is  better  to  die  soon 
than  to  live  long  in  prison,  or  to  escape. 

In  regard  to  her  penal  discipline,  we  think  Penn. 
sylvania  has  reason  to  be  somewhat  suspicious  of 
her  favorite  system  of  punishment,  and  we  can 
hardly  avoid  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  well  for 
her  to  try  the  congregate  system,  instead  of  solitary 
confinement,  and  see  whether  the  bills  of  mortality 
and  "morbility"  will  not  as  they  do  now  emphati- 
cally rebuke  her  present  system.  One  would  sup- 
pose, that  to  be  shut  out  from  the  world  from  month 
to  month,  and  from  year  to  year,  to  know  nothing 
of  all  that  is  done  under  the  sun,  save  the  doleful 


PRISON   MORTALITY.  229 

monotony  of  a  gloomy  prison,  without  the  sympathy 
4}f  a  friend,  where  everlasting  silence,  with  few  ex- 
ceptions, is  enjoined  ;  and  bolts  and  bars,  and  locks 
and  keys  rebuke  the  guilty — and  granite  walls  cease 
not  to  frown  upon  the  stricken  mortal,  both  day  and 
night,  would  be  sufficient  to  well  nigh  crush  the 
stoutest:  heart,  without  depriving  him  of  the  society 
of  man. 

But  the  reader  may  say,  O,  these  convicts  are 
guilty  fallen  creatures,  and  deserve  nothing  better 
than  solitary  confinement,  however  much  it  may 
depress  both  body  and  mind !  Not  only  must  "  he 
that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall,1* 
but  we  must  pity  those  who  have  been  overcome 
by  temptation  or  passion,  for  who  can  tell  how  soon 
he  may  be  in  a  condition  to  require  the  compassion 
of  others  ?  Moreover,  we  must  not  too  hastily  con- 
clude, that  man,  once  fallen,  is  forever  lost.  That 
many  convicts  cannot  be  reclaimed,  is  doubtless  true. 
But  it  is  not  true  of  all,  neither  do  we  believe  that 
it  is  true  of  the  majority.  Many  a  wife  has  a  hus- 
band, and  many  a  mother  a  son,  who  have  gone  to 
those  gloomy  cells  from  the  best  circles,  and  to  see 
such  erring  mortals,  or  indeed  any  others,  reclaimed 
and  restored  to  those  who  have  ceased  not  to  yearn 
over  them,  and  to  whose  tears,  and  groans,  and 
prayers,  the  midnight  hour  can  testify,  will  gratify 
the  heart  of  every  true  philanthropist. 

But  to  return  from  this  digression,  it  may  be  said 
that  solitary  confinement  has  little  or- nothing  to  do 
with  the  large  bills  of  mortality  in  the  Eastern 
Penitentiary  of  Pennsylvania,  and  possibly  it  has 


230  PRISON    MORTALITY. 


not.  But  we  will  let  our  sister  State  speak  for 
herself,  through  oiie  of  her  favorite  sons,  Dr.  Par- 
rish: 

"From  the  last  Annual  Report  of  the  Eastern 
Penitentiary,  we  learn  that  since  its  opening  in  1829, 
to  the  close  of  the  year  1848,  2421  prisoners  have 
been  confined  there,  of  whom  214  have  died,  being 
a  mortality  of  nearly  ten  per  cent. 

"  In  the  County  Prison,  from  its  opening  in  Tenth 
Month  (October),  1835,  to  the  close  of  the  year  1848, 
2818  prisoners  were  admitted  to  hard*  labor,  of 
whom  155  have  died,  being  an  average  mortality 
of  5.50."  "  This  disproportion  between  the  two  in- 
stitutions is  believed  to  be  in  a  great  measure  attri- 
buted to  the  difference  in  the  length  of  the  sentences 
of  their  inmates." 

"  The  mortality  in  both  institutions  is  sufficiently 
high  to  excite  anxious  inquiry,  and  to  create  doubts 
as  to  the  favorable  influence  of  their  discipline  upon 
health.  When  it  is  remembered,  that  the  inmates 
of  prisons  are  composed  chiefly  of  young  and  mid- 
dle aged  men,"  "  this  amount  of  mortality  is  the  more 
striking." 

"  It  must  be  confessed,  that  the  large  amount  of 
insanity  and  mortality  revealed  by  the  reports  of 
both  these  institutions,  has  created  in  many  candid 
and  humane  minds,  strong  doubts  as  to  the  safety  of 
the  discipline  adopted  therein." 

**  Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  practicability  of 
the  Pennsylvania  system,  and  of  the  superiority  of 
the  principle  upon  which  it  is  based  in  a  moral  point 
of  view,  it  is  evident  that,  unless  the  results  which 


PRISON    MORTALITY.  231 


have  thus  far  attended  it,  can  be  altered  by  an  ad- 
ministration more  consonant  with  the  laws  of  men- 
tal and  physical  health,  this  great  experiment  in 
penal  discipline,  for  which  Pennsylvania  has  become 
so  distinguished,  must  fail  of  its  humane  purposes. 
Report  of  the  Sanitary  condition  of  Philadtlphia. 
By  Isaac  Parish,  M.  D. 

Let  us  for  a  moment  turn  our  attention  in  ano- 
ther direction.  "  The  effect  of  confinement  and 
discipline  in  the  New  Hampshire  State  Prison,  is 
salutary,  partly  from  the  compulsory  abandonment 
of  irregular  and  intemperate  habits,  and  partly  from 
the  forced  observance  of  strict  hygienic  rules.  The 
inmates  suffer  from  all  prevailing  diseases  equally 
with  the  people  in  town,  but  all  affections  are  more 
under  the  control  of  the  physician,  and  treated  with 
better  success." — "  The  fact  that  the  rate  of  morta- 
lity for  thirty-six  years  is  only  1  to  79.21  of  the 
whole  number,  the  average  in  the  town  for  ten 
years  being  1  to  06.58,  shows  that  the  prisoner 
enjoys  an  advantage  over  his  more  fortunate  breth- 
ren without." — Trans,  of  the  A.  Med.  Association, 
Vol.  11,  p.  447. 

Not  exactly.  You  must  remember,  down  there 
in  the  "Granite  State,"  that  more  than  one-third  of 
your  inhabitants  die  before  they  are  eligible  to  such  a 
post,  which  affects  the  general  bills  of  mortality  very 
materially.  But  that  your  prisoners  enjoy  an  ad- 
vantage over  their  fellow-men  who  have  forfeited 
their  liberty,  and  find  themselves  in  close  quarters 
in  certain  other  prisons,  we  very  cheerfully  admit. 
And  not  only  so,  but  we  would  take  the  liberty  of 


232  PRISON    MORTALITY. 


presenting  our  thanks  to  all  such  managers  of  prisons, 
as,  by  their  humane  and  wise  proceedings,  reduce 
the  bills  of  mortality  to  two  per  cent.  But  by  no 
means  would  we  have  them  rest  satisfied  with  this, 
or  with  any  thing  short  of  sending  home  every  one 
to  his  friends,  with  as  good  health,  and  better  morals, 
than  he  exhibited  at  his  own  fire-side.  Of  course 
we  do  not  include  those  who  are  imprisoned  for 
life. 

JUSTICE    AND    HUMANITY. 

Although  we  have  no  affinity  for  that  sickly 
sympathy  which  would  break  the  strong  arm  of 
the  law,  and  tear  down  the  walls  of  separation 
between  the  philanthropist  and  the  demoniac,  yet, 
in  the  name  of  humanity,  we  insist  upon  having  the 
penalty  of  a  violated  law  so  administered,  that 
the  culprit  shall  feel  that  it  is  the  same  spirit  of 
kindness  and  good  will  to  man,  that  turns  the  key 
upon  one,  as  that  which  throws  open  the  doors  to 
another.  The  time  was,  when  kindness  to  prisoners 
was  considered  either  superfluous  or  unsafe.  Hap- 
pily a  brighter  day  is  dawning.  Still  there  are 
those  who  seem  to  have  more  faith  in  the  "cat'1 
than  in  kindness,  and  to  show  such  ones  what  kind- 
ness can  do,  I  beg  leave  to  quote  a  few  paragraphs 
from  the  interesting  and  deeply  affecting  report  of 
the  WARDEN  to  the  Directors  of  the  Ohio  Peniten- 
tiary, in  relation  to  the  ravages  of  the  cholera,  &c. 
This  epidemic  fell  upon  the  poor  prisoners  at 
Columbus  with  terrible  severity,  and  in  a  few  days 
swept  off  one  hundred  and  sixteen,  or  a  little  more 


PRISON    MORTALITY.  233 

than  one-fourth  of  all  the  convicts !  together  with  two 
physicians  who  also  fell  victims  to  the  pestilence ! 
Let  the  reader  listen  to  Col.  Dewey's  thrilling  des- 
cription of  the  scene. 

"On  the  9th  of  July,  the  sickness  increasing,- 1 
called  in  to  aid  Drs.  Lathrop  and  Trevitt,  Drs.  B.  F. 
Gard,  R.  Thompson,  J.  B.  Thompson,  J.  Morrison, 
Norman  Gay,  and  several  medical  students  and  nur- 
ses. 

"  The  condition  of  things  in  the  prison  at  this  time 
can  better  be  imagined  than  my  feeble  pen  can  des- 
cribe it.  The  panic  among  the  prisoners  was  distres- 
sing. Labor  was  entirely  suspended  in  the  work- 
shops, and  on  the  State  House.  There  were  not  well 
ones  enough  among  the  prisoners  to  take  care  of  the 
sick.  The  hospital  was  crowded  to  overflowing  with 
the  sick,  the  dying,  and  the  ghastly  corpses  of  the  recent 
dead.  Groans  of  anguish  and  despair,  shrieks  and  cries, 
imploring  appeals,  and  the  appalling  death  rattle  of 
the  dying,  mingled  in  sad,  not  to  say  hideous  confusion. 

"  A  large  number  of  the  guards,  panic-stricken, 
fled,  when  their  assistance  was  most  needed."  "  The 
panic  extended  into  the  vicinity  about,  depriving  us 
of  the  assistance  ordinarily  volunteered." 

"  At  this  time  the  strict  discipline  of  the  prison,  was, 
from  the  necessity  of  the  case,  relaxed.  The  prison- 
ers were  permitted  to  converse  with  each  other.  All 
grades  of  character  were  exhibited,  from  manlike 
heroism,  and  stoical  indifference,  to  the  most  timid, 
sensitive  and  shrinking  agitation. 

"  Indeed  the  situation  of  the  prisoners  was  such  as 
to  weaken  aud  overcome  the  ordinary  fortitude  of 


234  PRISON    MORTALITY. 

men.  The  impulse  to  flee  was  checked  by  frowning 
prison  walls,  while  death  and  sore  distress  reigned  on 
every  hand.  To  pass  through  the  prison  yard,  at  this 
time,  was  a  trial  of  heart  and  nerve.  It  was  impos- 
sible to  meet  the  eager  throng  that  gathered  about  at 
every  step,  and  hear  their  piteous  appeals,  without 
emotions  deep  and  painful.  "  In  the  name  of  God, 
sir,  can  we  not  have  our  pardons  ?"  "  Is  not  the 
Governor  coming  ?"  "  Will  not  the  Governor  come 
and  have  mercy  on  us  ?"  "  Must  we  be  kept  here  to 
die  ?"  "  Our  punishment  is  too  great !"  "  For  the 
love  of  Jesus,  speak  to  the  Governor  in  my  behalf!" 
"  I  plead  for  my  liberty,  my  life  !" 

"  Others  would  submit  more  passively  to  the  ne- 
cessities of  their  condition,  and  would  agree  together, 
in  case  of  an  attack  of  the  disease,  to  aid  each  other. 
"  At  this  time  the  prisoners  entreated  earnestly,  im- 
portunately, and  in  many  cases  in  terms  of  moving 
tenderness,  that  they  might  not  be  locked  up  in  their 
cells,  assuring  me  of  the  best  behavior  in  return  for 
such  forbearance." 

"  In  my  own  judgment,  as  well  as  that  of  others, 
their  condition  required,  as  far  as  possible,  a  relaxa- 
tion from  the  ordinary  strictness  of  prison  discipline. 
I  therefore  resolved  upon  the  somewhat  hazardous 
experiment  of  leaving  them  out  of  their  cells." 

•'  Many  feared  unpleasant  consequences  from  this  re- 
laxation of  discipline,  and  predicted  insubordination, 
mutiny  and  revolt ;  as  the  prisoners  had  almost  un- 
prohibited  opportunity  to  converse  with  each  other. 
Fears  like  these,  however,  happily  were  not  realized. 


PRISON    MORTALITY.  235 


"  The  prisoners  generally  seemed  penetrated  with  a 
deep  sense  of  gratitude,  in  view  of  the  forbearance 
with  which  they  were  treated,  and  the  interest  which 
was  manifested  in  their  welfare  and  safety.  They 
were  efficient  and  useful ;  in  many  cases  bold,  un- 
flinching, and  persevering  in  administering  to  the 
wants  and  relief  of  the  sick." 

"  During  sixte  en  days  and  nights  this  state  of 
things  continued,  when  no  key  was  turned  upon  a  pris- 
oner, and  yet  the  most  perfect  good  order  and  subor- 
dination prevailed  among  them  all  that  time." 

"  Theso  sixteen  days  and  nights  may  truly  be  said 
to  have  been  the  *  reign  of  terror'  in  the  Penitentiary. 
Certainly  the  *  King  of  Terrors'  reigned  over  us  with 
a  vengeance,  claiming  numerous  victims. 

"  I  have  the  melancholy  duty  of  recording  on  these 
pages  the  death  of  two  devoted  and  distinguished 
physicians,  who  fell  martyrs  to  their  zeal  and  fidelity. 
I  refer  to  the  late  Drs.  Lathrop  and  Gard. 

"  The  Governor  was  sent  for  by  telegraph,  and 
promptly  repaired  to  the  seat  of  government,  to  lend 
such  official  aid  as  the  exigencies  of  the  case  seemed 
to  demand.  Many  were  pardoned  ;  but  it  was  soon 
found  that  the  poor  fellows  were  safer  within  the 
walls  than  without,  for  their  presence  created  a  panic, 
and  people  shunned  them  as  a  walking  pestilence, 
and  if  attacked  by  cholera,  they  were  almost  sure  to 
die  for  want  of  care.  One  who  was  thus  pardoned, 
was  attacked  and  was  brought  back  to  one  of  the 
prison  hospitals,  where  he  was  taken  care  of  till  he 
died." 


236  PRISON    MORTALITY. 

It  is  a  little  remarkable  that,  although  the  total 
number  of  commitments  for  the  year  was  12,596,  yet 
not  a  single  death  by  cholera  occurred  in  the  New- 
York  City  Prison  among  the  convicts.  True,  their 
stay  was  very  brief.  The  inmates  of  the  New- York 
State  Prisons  at  Auburn,  Clinton,  and  Sing  Sing 
were  also  equally  fortunate- 

In  concluding  my  remarks  on  Prisons,  and  their 
inmates,  I  beg  leave  to  say,  that  there  is  probably 
no  more  fruitful  source  of  disease  and  death  in  these 
gloomy  habitations,  than  the  want  of  proper  ventila- 
tion, and  a  happy  frame  of  mind.  Cannot  pris- 
ons be  thoroughly  ventilated  ?  Why  not  ?  Should 
not  the  prisoner  have  at  least  the  privilege  of  breath- 
ing pure  air  ?  Again  I  ask,  why  not  ? 

The  depression  of  spirits,  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  is  an  evil  not  so  easily  remedied.  Indeed  it 
cannot,  says  one,  and  should  not  be  remedied,  says 
another.  Yes,  it  both  can  and  should  be,  to  some  ex- 
tent. Will  it  inspire  hope,  gratitude,  and  love,  and 
all  the  better  feelings  of  man,  to  depress  and  degrade 
him  to  the  very  lowest  extreme  ?  To  let  him  know 
that  you  care  not  how  much  he  is  despised — how  of- 
ten his  wounds  are  made  to  bleed  afresh — how  little 
pity  he  receives  from  without  and  within — how  pro- 
longed his  degradation,  and  how  keen  his  despair  ? 
Alas !  who  can  stand  long  under  such  a  burden  ?  It 
is  worse  than  the  sting  of  a  scorpion,  and  bite  of  a 
serpent.  Do  not  altogether  neglect  and  forsake  them, 
although  they  have  fallen  from  a  great  height 
into  a  deep  and  dark  abyss.  They  may,  perhaps, 
with  a  little  encouragement,  come  up  by  and  by,  to 


?R1SON    MORTALITY.  237 


make  glad  their  friends,  and  to  make  amends  for 
their  errors. 

"  A  close  observation  for  the  last  two  yea/s,  of  the 
effects  of  letter- writing  upon  the  minds  of  the  con- 
victs, has  served  to  increase  the  conviction  formerly 
expressed,  that  the  practice  is  decidedly  beneficial  in 
its  tendency,  and  ought  not  to  be  discontinued,  nor 
diminished  to  any  considerable  extent.  The  effect 
of  entire  non-intercourse  would  be  extremely  inju- 
rious to  all  who  have  friends,  especially  so,  to  those 
who  are  possessed  of  arden  temperaments,  and  also 
to  those  who  are  confined  on  long  sentences.  It  al- 
most uniformly  induces  melancholy,  recklessness,  ha- 
tred, or  revenge.  Those  who  do  not  for  a  long  period 
hear  from  their  friends,  often  give  vent  to  their  feel- 
ings in  such  language  as  the  following :  '  Well,  they 
have  all  forgotten  me' — *  No  one  cares  for  me  now' — 
'.Even  my  wife  has  forsaken  me,  and  my  own  chil- 
dren will  soon  forget  me' — '  If  my  friends  do  thus 
me  off,  I  shall  never  go  near  them  again' — 
i,  it  is  no  matter  what  I  do  now,  I  cannot  be 
more  despised  or  worse  off,  let  me  do  what  I  will.' " 
— (Annual  Report  of  the  Inspectors  of  State  Prisons  of 
the  State  of  New- York,  1850,  p.  126.) 

The  same  document,  in  quoting  the  language  of 
the  Warden  of  the  Ohio  State  Prison,  says, "  The  wri- 
ting to  and  receiving  letters  from  friends,  is  to  them 
(the  convicts)  a  source  of  the  highest  gratification. 
Those  who  have  not  seen  it,  cannot  form  an  idea  of 
the  extreme  eagerness  and  avidity  with  which  they 
seize  their  letters  and  read  them.  The  friends  of  the 
convict  cannot  be  aware  of  the  immense  good  which 


23S 


PRISON    MORTALITY. 


may  be  done  by  writing  to  them  ;  expressing  sympa- 
thy, and  giving  encouragement,  and  thus,  fallen  as 
they  are*,  help  on  their  restoration  to  the  honest 
walks  and  pursuits  of  life.  Also  great  mischief  may 
be  done  by  the  neglect  of  friends.  The  tendency  (of 
neglect)  is  to  make  the  convict  feel  that  he  is  aban- 
doned of  God  and  man,  and  frequently  he  becomes 
more  hardened  in  his  viciousness,  and  yields  himself 
to  despondency  and  despair." 

Of  one  who  had  for  a  Iqng  time  looked  in  vain 
for  letters  from  a  brother,  the  same  gentleman  says : 
"  At  last  he  ceased  to  inquire  for  letters,  and  gave 
himself  up  to  hopeless  melancholy.  He  broods  in  si- 
lence over  his  woes  ;  his  health  has  become  infirm  ; 
and  he  seems  to  be  rapidly  pining  away.  The  dis- 
grace and  degradation  of  his  situation  he  might  have 
partially  recovered  from;  but  to  be  neglected, 
despised  and  abandoned  by  a  brother,  sent  the  iron  to 
his  soul" 

MORE   POLITE   THAN    KIND. 

I  make  these  interesting  quotations,  not  only  be- 
cause I  suppose  that  the  majority  of  my  readers  may 
not  have  access  to  these  affecting  and  interesting  re- 
ports, but  because  the  tendency  of  neglect  is  the  same 
every  where.  It  crushes  the  throbbing  heart  of  the 
forsaken,  whether  within,  or  without  the  prison.  The 
individual  referred  to, is  not  a  solitary  case  of  "pining 
away"  in  consequence  of  cold  neglect.  How  many 
treat  their  fellows  who  are  guilty  of  no  crime  at  all  (ex- 
cept poverty)  with  more  indifference  than  they  do  a 
respectable  Newfoundland  dog  !  Others  are  famous 


PRISON   MORTALITY.  239 


for  giving  the   muscles  of  Politeness  more  than  an 
ordinary  task  to  perform,  and  bow  to  all  they  meet, 
while  their  hearts  are  as  cold  as  an  iceberg. 
11 


240  CHANGES. 


CHANGES. 

MORE  BREAD LESS    PHYSIC. 

The  question  is  frequently  asked,  why  physicians 
give  so  little  medicine  to  what  they  did  formerly. 
The  reason  may  perhaps  be  said  to  be  three-fold. 
They  understand  the  nature  of  diseases,  in  some 
respects,  better,  and  also  the  effect  of  remedies.  But 
this  is  not  all.  A  change  in  the  constitution,  demands 
a  modified  form  of  treatment  accordingly. 

CHANGE    OP    CLIMATE. 

Our  climate  is  not  what  it  was  fifty  years  ago, 
when  the  cold  was  so  great,  and  long  continued 
that  the  waters  of  our  beautiful  bay  were  so  locked 
up,  as  to  form  a  perfect  bridge,  on  which  the  pon- 
derous cannon  were  hauled  to  Staten  Island  with 
as  much  safety  as  if  the  hidden  fires  had  upheaved 
to  the  surface  of  the  water,  from  the  bowels  of  the 
earth,  a  gigantic  rock,  forming  a  granite  turnpike, 
from  shore  to  shore. 

CHANGE    OF    CONSTITUTION. 

Since  that  period,  not  only  have  many  systems 
of  practice  and  belief,  both  good  and  bad,  both  true 
and  false,  both  wise  and  foolish,  both  safe  and 
hazardous,  had  their  4.av>  and  like  nations,  kingdoms, 
and  customs,  been  upturned  and  overturned,  but 
there  has  also  been  a  change  in  man's  constitution. 

Now,  whether  the  change  in  our  seasons,  or  our 
mode  of  living,  or  whether  something  else  has  modi- 


CHANGES,  241 


fied  the  system,  so  as  to  require  less  drugs,  or  a 
milder  class,  it  matters  not.  Facts,  instead  of  theo- 
ries, must  be  our  guide. 

CHANGE    OP    TREATMENT. 

Formerly,  the  system  was  full  of  vigor.  Man 
had  a  lion's  constitution,  and  when  disease  took 
hold  of  him  at  all,  it  was  lion-like,  and  required  a 
corresponding  treatment.  Then  inflammations  pre- 
vailed, and  of  a  high  grade,  making  a  free  use  of 
the  lancet  indispensable.  Then  other  heroic  reme- 
dies were  successfully  used,  and  fatally  withheld. 

A    PLAIN    HINT. 

Now  the  constitution  is  below  par.  The  nervous 
system  is  depressed.  Diseases  tend  to  a  low  or 
typhoid  state,  and  hence  the  treatment  of  a  majority 
of  diseases  requires  to  be  lamb-like.  There  are,  at 
the  present  day,  more  constitutions  which  need 
building  up  than  pulling  down.  Hence  my  motto, 
More  bread — less  physic  ! 

CAUTION. 

But  let  us  beware  of  extremes,  and  remember, 
that  while  disease  prevails,  remedies  will  still  be 
found  indispensable,  and  very  likely  the  time  will 
again  come,  when  such  heroic  treatment  will  be  de- 
manded, as  will  pretty  thoroughly  shake  the  faith  of 
those  of  the  milk-and-water-school ! 


DISEASE. 

What  is  disease  ?  To  answer  this  question  satis- 
factorily, it  may  puzzle  not  only  the  invalid,  but  the 
sagest  medical  philosopher.  He  can  very  easily 
tell  what  it  does,  but  not  so  readily  tell  what  it  is  ! 
He  may  eloquently  and  clearly  point  out  the  symp- 
toms, the  causes,  and  the  remedies  ;  and  with  great 
accuracy  foretell  the  result,  and  yet  leave  the  in- 
quirer as  much  in  the  dark,  as  to  its  essential  nature, 
as  if  he  had  said  nothing,  and  would  very  much  re- 
semble a  man  who,  being  required  to  give  a  clear 
and  intelligible  explanation  of  the  essential  nature  of 
electricity,  should  say  that  on  a  certain  day  one  of 
the  tallest  elms  on  Boston  Common  was  struck  by 
lightning  and  shivered  to  atoms  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye,  and  conclude  further  information  to  be  per- 
fectly unnecessary. 

THEORY. 

"  Perhaps  it  will  ultimately  appear,"  says  a 
talented  writer,  "  that  the  essence  and  phenomena 
of  all  disease,  consist  in  a  strife  between  the  laws 
of  organic  and  inorganic  being ;  the  former  endea- 
voring to  preserve  inviolate,  organisms  and  affinity 
in  which  they  are  temporarily  and  for  special  ends, 
located  by  the  Creator ;  the  latter,  for  ends  equally 
definite  and  wise,  though  to  us  obscure,  seeking 
to  recover  organic  atoms  and  affinities  to  their  in- 
animate empire.  To  the  antagonism  of  these  two 
grand  and  all-dividing  principles,  it  will,  I  appre- 


hend,  be  found  that  the  essence  and  phenomena  of 
all  disease,  in  its  germ,  development,  and  incon- 
sistent course,  and  even  the  predisposition  to  all 
disease,  are  entirely  to  be  attributed." 

PRIVILEGE    AND   DUTY. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  of  one  thing  we  are  absolutely  cer- 
tain. The  laws  of  inorganic  being  must  ultimately 
prevail.  Still  it  is  our  privilege,  and  no  less  our  duty, 
to  use  all  proper  means  to  keep  the  vital  spark 
alive.  This,  I  remarked  at  the  outset,  could  be  more 
effectually  done  by  suitable  regimen — by  proper 
care  on  our  part,  than  by  all  the  assistance  of  doc- 
tors. In  short,  every  man  is  bound  to  be  his  own 
physician,  until  he  finds  it  necessary  to  employ  those 
of  more  skill.  Not  only  so,  but  every  man  is  in 
duty  bound  to  be  a  physician  to  his  neighbor,  and  at 
all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances,  give  such 
hints,  put  forth  such  efforts,  and  use  such  means,  as 
opportunities  may  present,  and  indications  demand. 
But  not  a  few  Cains  are  ever  ready  to  cry  out,  "Am 
I  my  brother's  keeper?"  While  others  shout,  "Phy- 
sician, heal  thyself."  And  yet  others,  "  What  is  that 
to  us,  see  thou  to  that" — "  Let  us  alone  !" 

Still  it  must  be  remembered  that  we  are  not  our 
own,  and  that  we  are  living  not  merely  for  the 
present  generation,  but  for  those  also  who  shall 
occupy  our  places  after  we  are  hid  in  the  dust.  It 
therefore  becomes  us  to  act  worthy  of  responsible 
agents. 


244  ADVICE. 


ADVICE. 

Perhaps  the  reader  may  say,  I  have  wandered 
long  enough,  and  far  enough  among  the  tombs  of 
the  living,  and  have  seen  enough,  and  heard  enough, 
on  the  subject  of  longevity,  mortality,  and  "  morta- 
lity" in  prisons,  and  elsewhere,  please  give  me  some 
advice  touching  my  own  individual  welfare,  for  1  have 
long  had  an  anxious  eye  on  this  volume  of  "  Helps," 
expecting  to  find  a  hint  for  every  error,  and  a  spe- 
cific for  every  pain. 

Then,  indeed,  you  expected  a  little  too  much  ;  for 
it  is  not  a  very  simple  matter  to  give  wholesale 
prescriptions  to  the  sick,  which  are  wisely  adapted 
to  every  invalid's  case  ;  at  least,  it  is  not  so  easy 
to  throw  out  physic  to  men,  as  corn  to  chicken?. 
Moreover,  in  giving  a  few  hints,  I  did  not  expect  to 
make  physicians  of  all  my  readers,  nor  raise  up  all 
the  bed-ridden. 

UNJUST   CHARGE. 

But  perhaps  it  may  here  be  proper  for  me  to  say 
a  word  to  the  indisposed,  inasmuch  as  the  physician 
is  sometimes  accused  of  a  disposition  to  mystify 
his  doings,  or  withhold  useful  information  from  the 
public.  A  charge  most  unjust.  Probably  no  man 
(clergymen  excepted)  has  ever  published  more  for 
the  general  good,  than  the  physician. 


ADVICE.  245 


TRY    FASTING. 

Well,  first  ascertain  whether  nature  needs  your 
assistance,  (except  negatively,)  before  giving  large 
orders  for  drugs.  And  if  you  find  it  difficult  to 
decide  the  question  whether  you  are  well  or  ill,  I 
suspect  that  you  had  better  let  the  apothecary  keep 
his  drugs  on  his  shelves,  and  let  the  butcher  keep  his 
meat  in  his  stall,  until  you  try  fasting  at  least  one 
day,  or  live  on  bread  and  water,  or  gruel.  Still,  medi- 
cine, though  often  needlessly  used,  and  frequently 
improperly  selected,  both  as  to  quality  and  quantity, 
is  nevertheless  good  in  its  place,  and  may  be  re- 
quired. 

But  that  we  may  derive  all  the  benefit  from  its 
use  which  is  desirable,  or  at  least  attainable,  it 
seems  important  to  first  ascertain  what  is  the  matter. 
To  do  this,  it  will  aid  us  somewhat  to  bear  in  mind 
that,  besides  the  happy  medium,  there  are  two  other 
conditions  of  the  system,  in  which  it  may  be  said  to 
be  either  above  or  below  par. 

FOLLOW    COMMON    SENSE. 

Now,  in  sitting  down  to  consult  all  their  friends 
and  neighbors  concerning  what  is,  or  what  ought  to 
be  the  condition  of  things,  many  seem  to  forget  to 
take  a  little  advice  from  common  sense.  She  often 
gives  very  appropriate  counsel,  and  makes  most  ex- 
cellent prescriptions,  though  she  not  unfrequently 
rejects  a  multitude  of  theories,  and  sometimes  calls 
the  wise-in-their-own-eyes,  fools.  It  is  not  a  little 
strange  that  so  honest,  so  sensible,  and  so  safe  a 
guide  should  be  so  seldom  consulted ! 


246  ADVICE. 


Well,  suppose  a  man  to  have  indulged  pretty  freely 
at  the  table.  His  digestive  organs  have  power  to 
appropriate  almost  everything  which  comes  in  their 
way  to  building  up,  and  filling  up  the  system  to  an 
unusual  extent,  so  that  every  vessel  is  loaded  with 
blood,  and  every,  organ  burdened  with  fat.  At 
length  one  week's  debauch  developes  a  fit  of  the  gout. 
To  cure  him,  would  common  sense  say,  stuff  him  with 
roast  goose  ? 

Not  at  all.  He  is  too  full  already.  Well,  then, 
what  is  the  reasonable  course  to  take  in  all  cases  ? 

Why,  simply  this.  If  the  system  is  above  par,  re- 
duce it.  If  it  is  below  par,  raise  it.  If  the  patient  is 
surfeiting,  starve  him.  If  starving,  feed  him.  If 
there  is  too  much  action,  reduce  it.  If  too  little,  in* 
crease  it.  If  there  is  too  much  blood  in  the  system, 
diminish  it.  If  too  little,  replenish  it.  And  if  the 
equilibrium  is  not  disturbed,  let  him  alone. 

Nature,  facts,  and  common  sense,  all  subscribe  to 
these  rules,  and  by  keeping  them  in  mind,  it  will  aid 
us  in  making  a  proper  selection  or  rejection  of  reme- 
dies. Recollect  that  I  am  now  supposing  the  patient 
to  be  so  situated  that  medical  advice  is  not  availa- 
ble, which  is  my  only  apology  for  calling  the  reader's 
attention  to  the  following  miserable  substitute. 

COMMON     SYMPTOMS     OP     INDISPOSITION. 

Perhaps  you  have  been  somewhat  indisposed  for 
several  days.  Have  noticed  that  a  little  exertion 
makes  you  weary.  A  trifling  affair  frets  you,  and 
makes  you  unhappy.  Your  appetite  is  bad,  your 
sleep  less  refreshing  than  usual.  Occasional  chills 


INDISPOSITION.  847 


and  flushes  possibly  disturb  you,  together  with  pain  in 
the  head,  back  and  bones.  Execretions  may  be  unn  atu- 
ral,  eyes  dull  and  heavy,  skin  rough  and  dry,  tongue 
coated,  bad  taste  in  the  mouth,  and  the  mind  more 
or  less  depressed  by  day,  and  disturbed  by  dreams  at 
night. 

Now  all  these  symptoms  may  not  be  present  in  any 
one  case,  yet  a  sufficient  number  may  indicate  such 
derangement  of  the  s}Tstem  as  to  call  for  remedial 
agents.  And  in  a  majority  of  cases,  the  following 
course  may  be  pursued. 

TRY    SIMPLES. 

Take  at  night  a  warm  bath,  if  circumstances 
will  permit,  and  if  not,  be  sure  to  take  a  foot-bath, 
and  if  convenient,  let  it  come  up  to  your  knees,  and 
make  it  thoroughly  stimulating  by  the  addition  of 
red  pepper,  mustard,  or  salt.  Don't  forget  the  fric- 
tion. The  great  value  of  this  bath,  I  have  already 
noticed.  (See  page  79.)  Before  you  retire,  take  a 
blue  pill  about  the  size  of  a  common  pea.  Eat  no 
supper.  Take  a  glass  of  toast-water,  if  you  wish. 
If  there  is  pain  in  any  part  of  the  body,  below  the 
head,  wrap  it  up  in  a  mammoth  poultice.  I  have 
also  spoken  of  the  benefit  to  be  expected  from  the  use 
of  this  agent.  (See  page  81.)  If  there  is  much 
sickness  at  the  stomach,  precede  the  blue  pill  by  an 
emetic,  and  indeed  if  there  is  not,  it  is  well — say  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  Ipecac  in  half  a  pint  of  warm  water,  in 
two  equally  divided  doses,  with  an  interval  of  ten 
minutes,  and  afterwards  drink  warm  water  freely  till 

vomiting  ceases. 
11* 


248  INDISPOSITION. 


In  the  following  morning,  take  a  brisk  cathartic, 
and  if  it  does  not  operate  freely  in  six  hours,  take 
half  as  much  more.  A  little  ginger,  spice,  or  cinna- 
mon added,  will  prevent  griping.  Take  no  breakfast, 
except  gruel,  and  dine  on  the  same,  and  again  retire 
without  your  supper,  after  taking  the  bath  with 
plenty  of  friction.  The  third  night  and  morning 
proceed  as  on  the  first,  unless  a  decided  improvement 
is  the  result.  Tepid  water  injections  will  be  found 
serviceable. 

After  the  unpleasant  symptoms  disappear,  the  pa- 
tient can  gradually  and  cautiously  return  to  a  nour- 
ishing diet.  Daily  exercise  in  the  open  air,  when 
compatible,  should  never  be  neglected.  But  remem- 
ber that  this  treatment  is  not  intended  for  a  patient 
who  has  been  starved,  or  half-fed,  previous  to  his  in- 
disposition. A  good  coo/c,  for  such  an  invalid,  would 
probably  be  the  best  doctor  to  be  had. 

DIFFICULTIES    ABOUND. 

It  will  be  understood  that  various  modifications  of 
treatment  may  be  required,  which  it  is  impossible  to 
foresee,  and  for  which,  even  the  medical  man  himsejf 
cannot  provide.  For  when  he  is  present  to  investi- 
gate cause  and  effect,  to  compare  present  symptoms, 
with  the  patient's  history  of  the  past ;  to  examine 
important  organs,  watch  the  course  and  progress  of 
disease,  the  effect  of  remedies,  and  various  other  phe- 
nomena winch  I  need  not  mention,  he  often  finds  his 
skill  and  efforts  inadequate  to  produce  the  desired 
result.  This  must  make  the  difficulty. of  giving  gen- 
eral directions  to  the  inexperienced,  quite  apparent  to 
the  reader. 


INDISPOSITION  249 


MODIFYING   CIRCUMSTANCES. 

The  quantity  of  medicine  to  be  given  in  any  case, 
depends  upon  a  variety  of  circumstances,  such  as  the 
stage  of  the  disease,  its  acute  or  chronic  character, 
strength  of  the  patient,  nature  of  the  malady,  the 
remedy,  &c.  But  the  age  of  the  patient  is  perhaps 
the  most  important  circumstance  to  be  considered. 
In  regard  to  which,  the  following  rule  for  adminis- 
tering medicine,  is  sometimes  adopted : 

The  ordinary  dose  for  an  adult  being  1 

That  of  a  person  from  14  to  20  will  be  2-3 

7  to  14       "  1-2 

4  to    7       "  1-3 

3      "  1-4 

2      u  1-6 

1      "  1-12  to  1-8 
EVERY    TABLE    IMPERFECT. 

Now,  although  in  the  main,  this  may  be  considered 
a  pretty  safe  guide  to  follow,  yet  it  is  far  from  being 
perfect.  In  regard  to  cathartics,  for  example,  chil- 
dren require  a  larger  dose,  in  proportion,  than  adults, 
owing  to  an  accumulation  of  mucus  in  the  intestines, 
which,  to  some  extent,  prevents  its  effect.  Take  an- 
other class  of  remedies,  narcotics  for  instance,  and 
the  effect  is  reversed.  For  example,  to  make  an  in- 
fant sleep,  give  it  a  dose  of  laudanum  according  to 
the  above  table,  and  the  probability  is  that  it  will 
sleep  too  long  !  The  inexperienced  cannot  be  too  cau- 
tious in  the  use  of  all  powerful  remedies. 

It  will  not  be  expected  that  I  shall  here  notice 
either  the  causes,  symptoms,  or  treatment  of  all  the 
maladies  which  afflict  mankind.  I  shall  barely  give 
a  few  brief  hints  in  relation  to  a  few. 


CATARRH.— (COLD.) 

"  Doctor,  what  is  good  for  a  cold  ?"  is  an  every-day 
salutation.  Before  I  answer  this  question,  I  would 
remark,  that  "  prevention  is  better  than  cure."  But 
how  shall  we  guard  against  an  evil  in  which 
every  one  is  more  of  less  involved  ?  Certainly  not 
by  shutting  ourselves  up  in  a  confined  atmosphere. 
This  is  the  very  way  to  take  cold. 

BEST  SAFEGUARD. 

Although  we  have  already  seen  that  this  affection 
is  not  so  productive  of  destruction  as  many  seem  to 
suppose  who  can  hardly  believe  in  the  existence  of 
any  other  morbific  agent,  yet  it  is  sufficiently  preju- 
dicial to  health  to  call  for  such  measures  as  seem 
best  adapted  to  prevent  its  approach.  In  the  first 
place  let  me  say,  that  whatever  tends  to  keep  all  the 
important  organs  of  the  body  in  a  state  of  integrity, 
and  to  promote  strength  and  vigor  in  the  system,  is 
the  best  safeguard  against  an  attack.  To  do  this, 
take  plenty  of  exercise  in  the  open  air.  Let  the 
body  be  well  supplied  with  flannel,  especially  in  cold 
weather.  Use  cold  water  bathing  and  friction. 
Keep  the  feet  dry  and  warm.  Avoid  strong  draughts 
in  a  state  of  fatigue  or  perspiration.  Never  discharge 
a  cook  for  giving  you  plain  food  !  and  just  bear  in 
mind  that  those  who  live  out  door  the  most,  take 
cold  the  least. 


CATARRH.  251 


TREATMENT. 

As  to  the  treatment,  almost  every  one  has  some 
specific,  and  yet  there  is  plenty  of  coughing,  and 
snuffing,  and  sneezing  throughout  the  land.  And  al- 
though the  author  is  ready  to  confess  that  he  has  no 
specific  ;  yet  while  one  says,  "  feed  it,"  and  another 
says,  "  starve  it,"  and  the  third  says, "  let  it  alone,"  he 
would  say,  in  the  language  of  one  of  old,  "  I  will  also 
show  mine  opinion." 

Early  in  the  disease,  take  an  emetic,  then  take  a 
warm  bath,  or  at  least  a  foot-bath,  as  before  directed, 
drink  a  cup  of  hot  red  pepper-tea,  well  sweetened,  take 
a  blue  pill  and  go  to  bed,  and  if  you  can  afford  to  get 
well  very  soon,  stay  there,  and  keep  warm,  and  you 
will  find  that  your  cold  will  soon  disappear.  Follow 
the  blue  pill  with  a  mild  cathartic  the  next  morning, 
and  live  on  gruel  and  keep  quiet. 

RELAPSE. 

After  you  suppose  yourself  nearly  cured,  then  look 
out  sharp  for  a  relapse.  No  disease  has  a  stronger 
tendency  to  return.  If  any  one  should  now  unfortu- 
nately invite  you  to  an  evening  party  in  a  damp 
cold  night,  have  courage  enough  to  say  no,  and  wis- 
dom enough  to  retire. 


CONSUMPTION. 

I  have  already  more  than  once  incidentally  noticed 
this  dread  disease,  and  shall  now  only  call  the  rea- 
der's attention  to  the  importance  of  an  early  acquain- 
tance with  any  predisposition  which  may  be  present. 
It  is  a  lamentable  fact,  that,  when  once  developed, 
little  can  be  done  to  stay  its  terrible  ravages.  Hence 
those  who  are  predisposed  ought  to  know  it,  and 
know  it  early,  painful  as  it  may  be  to  the  physician 
or  friends  to  communicate  it.  To  point  out  the  dan- 
ger after  flesh  and  strength  have  departed,  and  the 
hectic  flush,  the  consuming  cough,  and  the  wasting 
night-sweats  have  come,  will  be  of  about  as  much 
service,  as  to  whisper  in  the  ear  of  a  condemned 
criminal,  the  important  intelligence  that  he  is  with- 
in a  hundred  rods  of  the  gallows,  with  an  excellent 
road  before  him,  which  will  enable  him  to  arrive  in 
safety,  and  be  comfortably  seated  on  the  platform,  in 
less  than  twenty  minutes. 

LET    THE    TRUTH    BE    TOLD. 

The  reader  may  be  inclined  to  ask,  how  shall  I  set- 
tle this  momentous  question,  whether  I  am  predis- 
posed or  not  ?  Ask  your  family  doctor,  if  he  has  not 
already  given  you  a  hint,  and  abide  by  his  advice, 
and  not  be  too  ready  to  say,  "  O  there  is  nothing  the 
matter,  only  I  have  taken  a  little  cold."  Has  con- 
sumption taken  off  your  ancestors  ?  Did  it  hurry  a 
father  or  mother  to  an  untimely  grave  ?  Have  your 
brothers  or  sisters  been  plucked  as  rose-buds  just 
beginning  to  bloom,  by  its  withering  hand  ?  Or 


CONSUMPTION.  253 


has  Scrofula,  its  twin  sister,  broken  the  happy  circle, 
sending  some  to  their  long  home,  and  leaving  its  omi- 
nous mark  upon  others  ?  If  so,  then  you  have  suffi- 
cient reason  for  caution,  for  although  you  may  now 
be  apparently  in  good  health,  sailing  safely  along,  as 
you  suppose,  upon  a  smooth  and  noiseless  sea,  yet 
before  the  earth  shall  have  made  another  circuit 
around  the  sun,  you  may  be  swallowed  up  in  that 
great  pulmonary  m&lstrom,  where  a  host  that  no  man 
can  number,  sink  to  rise  no  more  until  the  resurrec- 
tion day. 

Now  I  am  well  awars  that  greater  encourage- 
ment, would  be  more  acceptable,  but  the  truth  had 
better  be  told.  True,  you  may  escape,  and  live  to  a 
good  old  age,  but  it  will  require  the  greatest  care  on 
your  part,  and  this  fact  you  had  better  know. 

Again,  I  remark,  that,  if  in  addition  to  this  heredi- 
tary taint,  you  have  a  dry  hacking  cough,  (which 
generally  passes  off  for  a  slight  cold,  though  little 
short  of  a  voice  from  the  grave-yard,)  a  frequent 
pulse,  and  a  continued  loss  of  flesh  and  strength, 
you  have  strong  reason  to  expect  to  find  a  remedy 
in  the  tomb,  long  before  you  are  three  score  years  and 
ten  !  The  course  necessary  to  be  pursued  to  avoid  this 
consuming  agent,  has  already  been  pointed  out,  un- 
der the  heads  of  diet,  exercise,  &c.  Keep  the  gene- 
ral health  as  perfect  as  possible. 


RUSH  OF  BLOOD  TO  THE  HEAD. 

People  often  ask,  "What  is  good  for  a  rush  of 
blood  to  the  head,"  when  they  might,  with  nearly  as 
much  propriety,  ask  what  is  good  for  a  rush  of  blood 
to  the  heel.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  such  an  affec- 
tion is  rare,  or  of  trifling  importance.  It  is  both  fre- 
quent and  formidable,  and  often  requires  prompt 
treatment,  such  as  the  use  of  active  cathartics,  fre- 
quently blood-letting,  cold  applications  to  the  head, 
hot  applications  to  the  feet,  mustard  plasters  to  the 
legs,  and  over  the  spine  or  stomach,  stimulating  in- 
jections, head  elevated,  and  all  obstructions  removed 
from  the  neck,  &c.  But  I  do  say,  that  when  this 
question  is  asked,  nine  times  out  of  ten,  there  is  none 
too  much  blood  in  the  head,  and  possibly  not  enough. 
I  would  therefore  caution  the  reader  against  resorting 
to  the  above  active  treatment  whenever  the  head 
happens  to  be  a  little  sympathetically  affected. 

RUSH  OF  TRASH  TO  THE  STOMACH. 

Now,  reader,  if  you  will  begin  at  the  stomach 
^perhaps  I  ought  to  say  at  the  mouth)  to  rectify  the 
evil,  and  will  make  thorough  work  of  it,  the  proba- 
bility is,  that  you  will  soon  experience  a  happy  ter- 
mination of  the  ringing  and  gingling  of  bells  in  your 
ears,  fulness  and  pain  in  your  head,  sickness  at  the 
stomach,  dancing  motes  in  your  eyes,  faintness,  dizzi- 
ness, blindness,  and  other  unpleasant  symptoms. 

WRONG   CONCLUSION. 

But  if  you  suffer  your  attention  to  be  all  taken  up 


GOUT.  255 


with  the  head,  and  go  on  applying  to  it,  this,  that 
and  the  other  remedy,  while  you  keep  on  stuffing  the 
stomach  with  all  sorts  of  incompatibles,  you  will 
very  much  resemble  a  man  who  should  thrust  into 
his  stove,  shavings,  pitch,  fire,  and  brimstone,  and 
then  run  up  on  the  top  of  his  house  with  a  bucket 
of  water  to  protect  the  roof,  and  with  a  cake  of  ice 
to  cool  the  top  of  the  chimney  ! 

But  do  you  ask,  when  can  I  with  impunity  indulge 
my  palate  freely  with  such  luxuries  as  sweet-meats, 
nuts,  tarts,  hot-cakes,  mince-pie,  roast-goose,  apple- 
dumplings,  fried-clams,  and  suet-puddings?  Just 
when  the  miller  can  give  you  good  flour  from  corn- 
cobs, and  when  the  baker  can  give  you  good  bread 
from  saw-dust ! 


GOUT. 

The  above  remarks  will  also  be  found  quite  ap- 
plicable to  those  who  are  afflicted  with  this  painful 
affection.  Gout  in  the  toe,  generally  begins  in  the 
stomach.  True,  it  is  often  hereditary,  but  it  is  also 
acquired,  and  generally  appears  among  the  well-fed, 
and  not  over- worked.  I  have  never  yet  seen  a  case 
among  wood-sawyers,  or  hod-carriers.  A  writer 
observes  that,  "  the  immunity  from  gout  enjoyed  by 
women  is  very  notorious."  Perhaps,  when  it  thus 
occurs,  it  is  modestly  called  neuralgia.  It  rarely 
attacks  either  sex  before  thirty,  and  after  fifty  it  is 
said  that  the  liability  decreases  rapidly. 


256  OOTTT. 

TEMPERANCE    THE    REMEDY. 

Although  I  do  not  intend  to  speak  of  remedies,  as 
almost  every  mode  of  practice  is  too  often  unsatis- 
factory to  both  physical!  and  patient,  yet  I  would 
remark,  that  much  can  be  done  by  temperate  living, 
to  prevent  an  attack.  But  this  hint  will  probably 
have  little  weight,  for  who  will  own  that  he  is  intern- 
per  ate  ?  And  who  will  practice  self-denial  to  avoid 
a  disease  which  only  occasionally  kills  a  man? 
Even  those  who  know  that  they  have  a  hereditary 
predisposition,  seem  to  eat  on  the  faster,  that  they 
may  not  fail  to  transmit  to  their  offspring  a  legacy 
which  will  cause  them  to  be  remembered. 

Such  persons  remind  me  of  a  man  travelling 
through  a  country  abounding  with  rattle  snakes, 
who,  taking  it  for  granted  that  he  shall  hardly  es- 
cape their  poisonous  fangs,  should  seize  upon  the 
first  that  he  could  find,  thrust  it  into  his  bosom,  and 
pinch  its  tail  to  make  it  bite. 


CONSTIPATION. 

That  morbid  state  of  the  stomach  and  bowels 
\vhich  produces  constipation,  may  or  may  not  be  the 
result  of  disease.  But  when  the  evil  is  of  long  stand- 
ing, we  may  safely  say  that  the  digestive  organs  are 
at  least  disordered,  and  if  left  in  that  state,  may  be- 
come seriously,  if  not  fatally  diseased.  I  have  else- 
where remarked  that  persons  of  sedentary  habits  are 
peculiarly  liable  to  suffer  from  this  affection,  and  I 
have  also  spoken  of  the  importance  of  physical  exer- 
cise in  the  open  air,  proper  attention  to  diet,  bathing, 
&c. 

It  is  common  for  people  to  speak  of  the  evil  effects 
of  a  dry  skin.  In  other  words,  that  they  have  taken 
cold  and  shut  up  the  pores.  But  let  it  be  remem- 
bered that  it  is  a  greater  evil  to  lock  up  the  secre- 
tions within,  than  without — that  dryness  of  the  inter- 
nal skin,  or  mucous  membrane,  which  lines  the 
alimentary  canal,  is  as  much  to  be  deplored,  as  a 
parched  condition  of  the  external  skin,  and  to  be  re- 
moved with  as  much  difficulty.  The  morbific  influ- 
ence of  a  costive  habit,  is  too  much  overlooked,  and 
too  little  feared.  It  not  only  produces  discomfort, 
and  leads  to  future  diseases,  but  also  seriously  modi- 
fies every  malady  which  may  be  already  present. 

The  appetite  is  usually  defective,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  morbidly  craving,  which  only  aggravates  the 
difficulty  ;  as  in  all  cases  of  obstruction,  or  retention 
of  feculent  matter  in  the  bowels,  the  more  one  eats, 
the  worse  for  his  health. 


258  CONSTIPATION. 


Digestion  in  such  persons  is  apt  to  be  tardy,  and 
attended  with  flatulence,  and  other  unpleasant  sen- 
sations. The  sufferer  has  usually  a  pale,  puffed,  in- 
dented tongue,  fetid  breath,  damp,  chilly  skin,  pasty, 
dingy  complexion,  anxious  countenance,  wandering 
pains,  &c. 

Sleep  is  usually  less  refreshing  than  when  free 
from  this  affection,  and  unpleasant  dreams  distract  the 
mind  and  tire  the  body,  so  that  one  feels  in  the  mor- 
ning as  though  he  had  passed  through  a  flax-brake. 
It  is  no  marvel  that  such  folks  become  nervous. 
The  wonder  is  that  they  do  not  wake  up  and  find 
themselves  in  a  "strait-jacket"  in  some  humane  in- 
stitution. Indeed,  they  sometimes  do  become  fit  sub- 
jects for  such  a  place. 

TREATMENT. 

The  first  indication,  as  laid  down  in  medical 
works,  is  to  remove  accumulations  already  formed, 
and  Castor  Oil  is  perhaps  one  of  the  best  and  safest 
cathartics  with  which  to  accomplish  this  object.  A 
free  use  of  thin  gruel  will  greatly  aid  the  action  of 
the  physic. 

But  it  should  be  remembered  that  although  a  free 
evacuation  will  greatly  relieve  the  patient,  and  make 
him  feel  like  a  new  man  for  a  short  period,  yet  the 
difficulty  will  be  almost  sure  to  return,  if  nothing 
more  important  is  done.  And  not  only  return,  but  it 
will  be  more  formidable  than  before.  The  patient 
will  be  like  the  toper  who  needs  the  second  glass  to 
repair  the  ravages  of  the  first. 


CONSTIPATION.  259 


Well,  shall  I  "  throw  physic  to  the  dogs  ?"  perhaps 
the  reader  will  now  inquire. 

Most  certainly,  I  answer ;  at  least  so  far  as  pre- 
venting a  return  of  the  malady  is  concerned.  Physic 
will  never  do  it. 

\Vhat  then  shall  I  do  ?  you  may  ask. 

Do  almost  anything,  and  rely  upon  anything  rather 
than  physic.  Tonics  may  be  needful,  and  in  a  ma- 
jority of  cases  the  baker  and  the  butcher  keep  the 
best.  There  are  no  tonics  equal  to  good  healthy 
food,  pure  air,  and  plenty  of  exercise.  True,  others 
are  good  in  their  place.  I  have  again  and  again 
spoken  of  the  salutary  influence  of  active  bodily  ex- 
ercise, and  I  hope  that  the  reader  is  by  this  time  con- 
vinced that  I  am  in  earnest — that  I  really  mean  what 
I  say.  Still  it  may  be  proper  for  me  to  briefly  point 
out  how  this  agent  is  of  such  vital  importance  in 
preventing  constipation. 

In  the  first  place  I  must  call  your  attention  to  one 
essential  function  of  the  intestines,  without  which 
life  would  soon  be  at  an  end.  namely,  the  power  of 
contraction.  It  is  by  this  action  that  their  contents 
are  expelled. 

Now  let  it  be  remembered  that  whenever  fecal 
matters  accumulate  and  long  distend  the  bowels  be- 
yond their  ordinary  limits,  their  power  of  contraction 
is  more  or  less  impaired,  and  if  under  such  circum- 
stances they  have  not  the  assistance  of  certain  other 
organs,  viz.,  the  abdominal  muscles,  the  evil  is  the 
more  likely  to  be  protracted  and  augmented. 

Walking,  running,  jumping,  riding,  and  especially 


200  CONSTIPATION. 


on  horseback,  call  these  muscles  into  powerful  ac- 
tion ;  and  as  they  contract  down  upon  the  abdominal 
viscera,  they  greatly  aid  in  the  expulsion  of  those  mat- 
ters which  can  no  longer  be  of  any  service  to  the  sys- 
tem ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  if  too  long  retained,  be- 
come both  chemical  and  mechanical  irritants. 

This,  however,  is  not  all  the  benefit  to  be  derived 
from  exercise ;  but  I  have  sufficiently  enlarged  on 
this  topic.  A  word  on  the  subject  of  diet  must  con- 
clude my  remarks  on  the  treatment  of  this  affection. 

That  the  reader  may  be  suitably  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  paying  prompt  attention  to  this 
matter,  I  will  give  one  example  as  an  illustration  of 
the  benefit  which  may  be  derived  from  the  use  of  a 
single  article  of  food  ;  and  not  having  a  case  more 
to  the  point,  I  take  the  liberty  of  calling  attention  to 
my  own  experience,  being  fully  persuaded  that  the 
hint  which  1  am  about  to  give,  will,  if  reduced  to 
practice,  be  worth  far  more  to  that  class  for  whom 
it  is  designed,  than  it  costs,  and  the  book  too. 

Ten  years  since,  I  found  it  necessary,  from  long 
continued  constipation,  to  resort  to  some  measures 
for  relief,  and  knowing  that  active  cathartics  would 
only  make  the  matter  worse,  I  adopted  the  "  Dinner 
Pill "  system,  which  is  to  take  a  mild  laxative  pill 
every  day  after  dinner,  intending  to  imitate  nature  as 
nearly  as  possible,  that  is,  to  produce  a  daily  evacu? 
ation.  This  practice  I  continued  with  little  or  no  in- 
terruption up  to  the  time  that  the  first  edition  of  this 
work  went  to  press.  Indeed,  I  continued  it  until  I 
•was  pretty  thoroughly  sick  of  drugging,  and  resolved 
to  stop,  and  try  the  virtue  of  brown  or  Graham  bread, 


CONSTIPATION.  261 


which  I  did,  some  six  months  since,  to  my  entire  sat- 
isfaction, as  the  triumph  of  the  "  staff  of  life  "  over 
dinner  pills  and  constipation  was  complete,  for  I 
have  not  taken  a  pill,  nor  have  I  been  costive  since 
the  first  six  days  expired  after  beginning  the  experi- 
ment ;  and  for  the  encouragement  of  the  reader  I 
would  remark  that  I  have  recently  heard  others  ac- 
knowledge the  same  happy  effects  from  the  use  of 
this  article  of  food. 

WORMS. 

It  seems  to  be  a  principle  in  the  economy  of  na- 
ture, that  almost  every  species  of  animal,  either  du- 
ring life,  or  soon  after  death,  shall  be  subject  to  the 
depredations  of  some  other  species. 

This  is  a  wise  and  salutary  law,  and,  as  far  as 
dead  bodies  are  concerned,  it  is  not  difficult  to  per- 
ceive its  adaptation  to  the  welfare  of  the  living,  for 
many  noxious  gases  which  would  otherwise  accom- 
pany chemical  decomposition,  are  thus  prevented. 
And  what  is  still  more  important,  there  is  a  supply  of 
matter  already  organized,  capable  of  being  readily 
assimilated  to  the  textures  of  those  animals  which 
are  destined  to  feed  upon  the  dead  body. 

MYSTERY. 

"  But  the  occupancy  of  living  bodies  by  parasites, 
presents  us  with  a  more  remarkable  and  less  under- 
stood feature  in  the  law  of  predation,  one  indeed 
for  which  it  is  difficult  to  find  a  satisfactory  explana- 
tion." 


262  WORMS. 


"  But  whatever  may  be  the  final  cause,  it  is  an  ad- 
mitted fact  that  almost  every  species  of  animal  is  lia- 
ble to  be  infested  by  its  peculiar  parasite  or  parasites, 
which  are  developed  in  and  protected  by  its  various 
textures,  and  draw  their  sustenance  from  its  juices, 
while  man  is  so  far  from  constituting  an  exception 
to  the  general  rule,  as  to  be  subject  to  a  greater 
number  of  parasites  than  any  other  living  being." 

*'  Some  of  these  are  limited  to  the  surface  of  the 
body,  and  cause  but  slight  inconvenience ;  others 
penetrate  the  skin,  and  produce  more  or  less  irri- 
tation ;  while  the  greater  number  occupy  the  inter- 
nal parts,  and  give  rise  to  symptoms  varying  in  cha- 
racter and  intensity,  according  to  the  nature  and 
position,  of  the  parasite." 

ORIGIN. 

Many  speculations  are  afloat  respecting  the  origin 
of  worms.  Some  contend  that  they  are  sponta- 
neously produced.  Others  contend  for  their  external 
origin  in  all  cases,  while  some  take  a  somewhat  in- 
termediate position.  But  this  question  we  shall  not 
discuss. 

The  causes  of  worms  are  also  involved  in  much 
obscurity.  Common  observation  shows  that  they 
are  most  frequently  associated  with  a  debilitated 
constitution,  though  the  robust  are  not  altogether 
exempt.  Age  has  a  modifying  influence  in  their  de- 
velopment, as  in  the  infant  at  the  breast  and  in 
adults,  they  are  comparatively  rare. 


WORMS.  263 


SYMPTOMS. 

The  body  may  be  infested  by  multitudes,  and  yet 
no  symptoms  lead  to  any  suspicion  of  their  exist- 
ence. Again,  a  host  of  symptoms  often  lead  people 
to  cry  out  worms,  when  not  one  is  present,  and  thus 
they  make  worms  responsible  for  all  the  unpleasant 
sensations  of  a  life  time.  Pain  in  the  abdomen  near 
the  navel,  is  often  complained  of,  but  many  do  not 
cause  any  pain.  Moreover,  pains  of  a  similar  char- 
acter may  be  produced  by  other  causes. 

When  the  round  worm  makes  its  way  into  the 
stomach,  it  frequently  produces  vomiting.  So  when 
ascarides  or  pin  worms,  accumulate  in  the  rectum, 
they  almost  invariably  produce  intolerable  itching  at 
the  anus.  .  Offensive  breath,  picking  of  the  nose, 
and  grinding  of  the  teeth  in  sleep,  and  similar  marks 
of  irritation  are  common. 

The  evacuations  are  usually  unnatural,  and  some- 
times consist  almost  entirely  of  mucus.  Frequently, 
constipation  alternates  with  a  relax.  The  appetite 
may  be  impaired,  but  often  becomes  voracious.  But 
all  symptoms  are  uncertain,  except  an  exhibition  of 
the  worm  itself. 

TREATMENT. 

The  treatment  of  worms  is  two-fold.  One  class 
of  remedies  having  reference  simply  to  the  expulsion 
of  parasites,  and  the  other  to  the  correcting  of  that 
state  of  constitution  which  appears  most  favorable 
to  their  development. 

For  the  expulsion  of  the  entozoa,  various  remedies 
12 


264  WORMS. 


are  recommended.  Some  agents  are  given  to  dis- 
lodge and  destroy  them,  others  simply  to  expel  them. 
For  domestic  practice  I  shall  recommend  the  latter. 
I  may  however  mention  one  valuable  remedy  which 
acts  in  a  two- fold  capacity ;  namely,  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine. It  may  be  given  in  doses  of  a  table  spoon- 
ful to  a  child  ten  years  old,  and  less  according  to  age, 
and  if  it  does  not  act  sufficiently  as  a  cathartic,  a  brisk 
dose  of  physic  may  be  taken.  The  second  or  third 
day,  it  may  be  necessary  to  repeat.  Many  different 
cathartics  are  recommended  ;  such  as  calomel  and 
jalap,  scammony,  gamboge,  aloes,  colocynth,  and 
a  very  popular  remedy  throughout  the  United  States 
is  a  combination  of  Pink  and  Senna,  and  perhaps 
as  good  as  any. 

The  ascarides  or  pin  worm  which  is  confined 
almost  entirely  to  the  rectum  or  lower  end  of  the 
alimentary  canal,  will  be  most  successfully  treated 
by  injections.  And  probably  there  is  no  better 
agent  for  this  purpose  than  spirits  of  turpentine. 
Salt  and  water,  molasses  and  water,  and  various 
other  injections  may  be  used. 

These  worms  are  found  in  individuals  of  all  ages, 
and  frequently  in  countless  numbers,  though  children 
are  more  especially  liable  to  them.  The  marked 
symptom  of  these  worms,  is  an  intolerable  itching  at 
the  anus. 

CONSTITUTIONAL    TREATMENT. 

Strict  attention  to  diet,  and  the  exclusion  of  all 
unwholesome  trash  and  indigestible  articles  of  food 
are  all  important.  Large  quantities  of  coarse  edi- 


SMALL    POX.  263 


bles  should  be  avoided.  Bitter  tonics,  and  prepara- 
tions of  iron,  are  useful,  also  exercise  in  the  open 
air,  salt-water  bathing,  and  friction  over  the  bowels 
with  vinegar  and  salt. 

SMALL  POX. 

I  call  the  reader's  attention  to  this  loathsome  and 
terrible  disease,  merely  for  the  purpose  of  urging 
prophylactic  measures.  It  is  well  known  that  when 
once  developed,  no  power  on  earth  can  arrest  it. 
There  is  no  alternative  but  to  let  it  pass  through  its 
regular  and  several  stages.  Medical  treatment  can 
avail  but  a  little.  "  It  is  a  melancholy  reflection," 
says  an  eminent  author,  "  that  for  many  hundred 
years,  the  interference  of  the  physician,  often  thwart- 
ing, but  seldom  aiding  the  efforts  of  nature,  was 
calculated  to  diminish  rather  than  to  increase  the 
chance  of  the  patient's  recovery." 

It  is  also  doubtful,  whether  modern  practice  has 
been  attended  with  much  better  success.  Early  in 
'the  disease  a  brisk  cathartic  should  be  administered, 
the  diet  cut  down,  and  the  surface  kept  moderately 
cool.  If  the  extremities  are  cold,  bottles  of  hot 
water,  mustard  poultices,  &c.,  will  be  found  bene- 
ficial. During  the  stage  of  suppuration,  or  while 
the  pustules  are  in  process  of  maturation,  cathartics 
may  be  daily  required,  such  as  senna  and  salts, 
calomel  and  jalap,  castor-oil,  &c.  But,  as  I  did  not 
design  to  say  any  thing  about  treatment,  I  will  call 
the  reader's  attention  to  a  more  important  consider- 
ation. 


266  SMALL    POX. 


VACCINATION. 

For  one  of  the  greatest  discoveries  in  the  medical 
world,  the  human  family  are  indebted  to  the  indefa- 
tigable zeal  of  Dr.  Jenner.  I  have  briefly  spoken  of  the 
introduction  of  vaccination  by  this  gentleman,  under 
the  head  of  longevity.  Although  small  pox  does 
sometimes  occur  where  the  system  has  been  sub- 
jected to  the  influence  of  vaccination,  yet  it  is 
comparatively  rare,  and  usually  so  modified  as  to 
cause  little  alarm,  and  is  generally  known  by  the 
name  of  Varioloid. 

RE-VACCINATION. 

It  is  a  question  of  much  importance  whether  cow- 
pox  will  protect  the  system  for  life,  and  if  not,  how 
long.  Some  contend  that  the  influence  is  never  lost 
as  long  as  life  remains.  Others  advocate  the  impor- 
tance of  re- vaccination,  as  often  at  least  as  once  in 
ten  years.  And  as  there  is  no  objection  to  this 
course,  there  being  no  danger  attending  it.  and  as  the 
expense  is  trifling,  and  the  satisfaction  of  a  feeling 
of  safety  being  well  worth  the  cost  and  trouble  of 
attending  to  it  every  decennial  period  through  life, 
we  would  advise  all  to  thus  avail  themselves  of  the 
prophylactic  powers  of  this  agent. 

CULPABLE    NEGLECT. 

But  what  shall  we  say  of  those  who  take  no  pains 
to  protect  themselves  and  others  against  the  terrible 
ravages  of  this  scourge  ? 


MEASLES.  267 


If  the  Legislature  should  pass  a  law  subjecting 
every  parent  to  a  fine  of  fifty  dollars,  or  imprison- 
ment, for  neglecting  to  protect  a  child  for  forty  days 
against  small  pox ;  making  the  doctor  also  responsi- 
ble for  twice  the  amount,  who  should  be  the  cause 
of  such  delay,  it  would  be  a  more  humane  law  than 
many  which  are  now  to  be  fqund  on  the  statute 
book. 

MEASLES. 

The  eruptive  stage  of  this  disease  requires  but 
little  interference.  There  is  usually  little  danger  to 
be  apprehended. 

Keep  the  bowels  open,  the  patient  in  bed  in  a 
moderate  temperature,  confined  to  a  light  diet,  and 
cooling  drinks. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  rash,  after  making 
its  appearance,  suddenly  recedes,  which  is  always 
unfavorable.  The  remedies  most  to  be  relied  upon 
in  such  cases  are,  warm  bath,  warm  stimulating 
drinks,  and  mustard  poultice  to  the  abdomen  and 
chest,  and  hot  applications  to  the  feet.  Diarrhoea, 
which  so  frequently  occurs  at  the  close  of  measles,  is 
a  natural  and  often  salutary  evacuation,  and  hence  it 
should  not  be  suddenly  checked. 


ERYSIPELAS.     (ST.  ANTHONY'S  FIRE.) 

This  disease  is  usually  a  slight  affection,  charac- 
terized by  a  deep  red  color  of  the  part,  attended 
with  a  smarting  or  scalding  pain.  It  may  appear 
on  any  part  of  the  body,  but  it  occurs  more  fre- 
quently on  the  face. 

TREATMENT. 

This  mild  form  of  erysipelas  may  require  but  little 
treatment.  Mild  purgatives,  cooling  drinks,  such  as 
lemonade,  very  light  diet,  pure  air,  &c.,  are  indispen- 
sable. There  are  two  other  forms  of  this  disease, 
which  are  much  more  severe,  and  frequently  prove 
fatal.  But  I  need  not  notice  them,  as  little  can  be 
done  without  a  physician. 

SCABIES.     (ITCH.) 

This  is  a  very  common  and  contagious  disease, 
which  may  last  for  years,  and  never  tends  naturally 
to  a  cure.  "  The  immediate  cause  of  the  itch,"  says 
a  writer,  "  is  now  ascertained  to  be  the  presence  of 
an  insect,  the  acarus  scabei;  at  least  the  existence  of 
this  insect  is  now  placed  beyond  doubt."  "  But  it  yet 
remains  to  be  explained,  why  the  itch  is  so  easily 
caught  by  only  touching  the  hand  of  a  person  in- 
fected with  it."  This  disease  is  more  common  in 
young  subjects,  and  is  generally  seen  between  the 
fingers,  on  the  wrists  and  on  the  flexures  of  the 
joints. 


SCABIES.  209 


TREATMENT. 

"  The  treatment  consists  in  destroying  as  soon  as 
possible  the  acarus."  "  It  lives  sixteen  hours  in 
vapor  of  burnt  sulphur ;  three  hours  in  water ;  two 
hours  in  olive  oil;  one  hour  in  the  acetate  of  lead; 
one  hour  in  pulverized  brimstone ;  three  quarters  of 
an  hour  in  lime-water ;  twenty  minutes  in  vinegar 
and  spirits  of  wine ;  twelve  minutes  in  a  solution 
of  sulphuret  of  potash  ;  and  only  from  four  to  six 
minutes  in  a  solution  of  hydriodate  of  potash.  The 
ointment  of  this  latter  substance  may  therefore  be 
considered  as  the  best  application  to  the  affected 
parts,  in  the  proportion  of  about  half  a  drachm  to  an 
ounce  of  lard.  Half  a  drachm  of  the  sulphuret  of 
lime,  mixed  with  a  little  olive  oil,  and  rubbed  upon 
the  palms  of  the  hands  twice  a  day.  for  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes  each  time,  proves  also  an  efficient  remedy." 
From  this,  it  appears  that  the  insect  can  endure 
sulphur,  the  old  popular  remedy,  much  longer  than 
either  of  the  other  articles  named  above.  In  the 
treatment,  an  occasional  warm  bath  is  good,  as  is 
the  case  in  almost  all  cutaneous  eruptions. 

To  disinfect  the  woolen  clothes  of  patients,  or 
any  garment  that  cannot  be  washed,  subject  them 
to  the  fumes  of  burning  sulphur.  It  is  now  to  be 
hoped  and  expected  that  the  reader  will  kill  the 
animals  and  stop  scratching  ! 


CEPHALALGIA.     (HEADACHE.) 

This  affection  is  one  of  the  most  common  maladies 
to  which  humanity  is  subject.  It  varies  from  a 
slight  uneasiness,  to  that  severity  which  renders  the 
patient  well  nigh  a  maniac.  "It  appears  under  so 
many  forms,  is  produced  by  such  a  number  of  causes, 
is  in  its  nature  so  variable,  and  is  connected  with  such 
different  morbid  lesions,  that  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
it,  with  a  view  to  treatment,  is  obtained  with  the 
utmost  difficulty." 

Headache  is  sometimes  caused  by  too  much  full- 
ness of  the  vessels  and  is  frequently  attended  with 
dizziness,  blindness,  ringing  and  roaring  in  the  ears, 
&c.  It  is  often  attended  with  nausea  and  vomiting. 
The  pain  is  also  neuralgic,  and  frequently  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  tell  what  it  is.  But  probably,  nine  times  out 
often,  a  disordered  stomach  and  bowels  is  the  cause. 
Improper  eating  and  drinking,  want  of  pure  air  and 
healthful  exercise,  too  much  intellectual,  and  too 
little  physical  labor,  and  various  other  causes  pro- 
duce it. 

TREATMENT. 

From  what  has  been  said,  the  reader  will  see 
the  importance  of  attending  to  the  state  of  the 
stomach.  Indeed,  if  you  treat  this  organ  properly, 
you  will  have  little  cause  to  complain  of  the  head, 
or  the  head  of  you.  It  is  interesting  to  notice  the 
remarkable  sympathy  between  the  stomach  and  the 


HEADACHE.  271 


brain.  A  slight  disturbance  of  the  stomach  will 
cause  the  head  to  ache,  and  a  slight  concussion  of 
the  brain  will  cause  the  stomach  to  evacuate  its 
contents.  It  often  happens  that  the  first  symptom 
of  a  fatal  disease  in  the  head,  is  revealed  through  the 
action  of  the  stomach.  An  ordinary  meal  will  often 
prove  the  best-  anodyne  for  the  headache,  whereas, 
pain  is  frequently  produced  or  increased  by  eating 
too  much,  or  by  the  use  of  indigestible  edibles. 

SICK    HEADACHE. 

A  form  of  headache,  which  is  usually  attended  with 
vomiting,  and  is  generally  called  '*  sick  headache"  is 
quite  common.  It  is  very  easy  to  perceive  that  this 
modification  depends  mainly,  if  not  entirely  upon 
gastric  derangement,  for,  when  vomiting  ensues,  the 
pain  usually  stops.  Moreover,  an  emetic,  in  other 
modifications,  will  often  arrest  a  severe  pain  in 
the  head. 

In  ordinary  colds,  emetics  are  invaluable,  and 
in  all  bilious  attacks.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  there  are  some  who  cannot  take  emetics  with 
safety,  but  they  are  rare  cases,  if  the  remedy  is  sim- 
ple and  properly  administered. 

CATHARTICS. 

In  this  affection,  and  in  almost  every  other,  ca- 
thartics are  often  indispensable.  I  do  not  mean  by 
this,  that  the  patient  should  be  perpetually  taking 
this  class  of  drugs,  or  any  other.  Not  at  all.  Be- 
ware of  such  a  conclusion.  But  I  do  mean  that 
cathartics,  at  proper  times,  do  more  to  remove  the 
12* 


272  HEADACHE. 


ills  to  which  flesh  is  heir,  than  any  other  class  of 
remedies  of  which  earth  can  boast. 

Stimulating  applications  to  the  head  and  back  of 
the  neck,  frequently  give  at  least  temporary  relief. 
The  practice  of  washing  the  head  in  cold  water 
every  morning,  I  believe  to  be  a  good  one.  It  will 
not  only  prevent  much  headache,  but  prevent  many 
colds. 

Headache,  combined  with  debility,  may  require 
tonics.  But  it  is  impossible  to  lay  down  directions 
which  are  applicable  to  every  variety  of  headache, 
and  every  variety  of  constitution.  The  sufferer  who 
is  so  situated  as  not  to  have  the  benefit  of  a  physi- 
cian's advice,  must  cautiously  try  the  effect  of  such 
remedies  as  shall  seem  best  adapted  to  relieve  the 
pain.  But  don't  do  too  much. 

PREVENTIVES. 

Preventives  are  more  important  than  curatives. 
Eat  nothing  that  disturbs  the  stomach — do  nothing 
to  impair  the  organs  of  digestion.  Select  your  food 
with  a  view  to  long  life  and  comfort ;  for  with  plain 
food,  pure  air,  active  exercise,  temperate  habits 
and  a  watchful  eye,  your  frail  car  will  soon  enough 
run  off  the  track. 


DYSENTERY. 

As  some  of  my  readers  may  suffer  from  this  dis- 
tressing malady  without  the  assistance  of  a  medical 
adviser,  it  may  be  proper  for  me  to  give  a  brief 
notice  of  the  symptoms,  causes,  and  treatment. 

SYMPTOMS. 

This  disease  is  frequently  ushered  in  by  a  chill 
and  succeeding  febrile  symptoms.  Sometimes,  how- 
ever, no  chill  or  fever  is  noticed.  Early  in  the  dis- 
ease there  is  uneasiness  of  the  abdomen,  soon 
amounting  to  griping  pain.  As  the  disease  becomes 
developed,  a  frequent  desire  to  go  to  stool  is  impor- 
tunate, while  the  relief  is  transient.  The  dis- 
charges become  thin,  mucus  or  bloody.  Ultimately 
the  scanty  evacuations  produce  distress,  rather  than 
case,  being  accompanied  with  griping  and  straining. 
If  the  disease  is  not  arrested,  these  symptoms  become 
more  alarming,  the  tenesmus  and  griping  increase, 
and  the  abdomen  becomes  hot  and  tender. 

CAUSES. 

Dysentery  spares  neither  age  nor  sex.  It  prevails 
more  or  less  in  all  countries  and  climates.  Depression, 
fatigue,  anxiety,  fear,  unripe  fruits,  indigestible  edibles, 
and  drastic  cathartics,  may  produce  this  disease,  and 
especially  when  it  prevails  epidemically  as  it  does 
at  some  seasons.  Ill-ventilated  apartments,  impure 
water,  and  unwholesome  food,  will  also  prove  an 
exciting  cause.  Exposure  to  cold  damp  night  air, 


274  DYSENTERY. 


after  a  hot  day,  is  a  powerful  agent  in  producing  this 
disease.  But  in  our  own  climate,  and  among  chil- 
dren, there  is  probably  no  more  fruitful  cause  than 
filling  the  stomach  with  unripe  fruit  and  unwhole- 
some food. 

TREATMENT. 

In  strong  and  robust  constitutions,  such  as  we 
often  find  in  the  country,  bleeding  may  be  the  first 
thing  required.  But  in  domestic  practice  this  usually 
cannot  be  done.  Leeches  if  they  can  be  obtained,  may 
be  applied  around  the  verge  of  the  anus  with  very 
great  relief.  Say  a  dozen  for  an  adult  with  an  ordinary 
constitution,  and  if  the  patient  be  of  a  stout,  full 
habit,  put  on  the  second  dozen  in  eight  or  ten  hours. 

Poultices  and  fomentations  are  invaluable,  and,  if 
convenient,  let  the  patient  take  a  warm  bath,  at 
least  a  foot  bath.  Give  an  injection  of  starch,  (small 
quantity.)  with  twenty-five  drops  of  laudanum  to  an 
adult,  and  if  it  does  not  remain  long  enough  to  give 
relief,  repeat  it.  Then  envelope  the  whole  abdomen 
in  a  hop  poultice,  and  "  throw  physic  to  the  dogs." 
After  the  disease  is  checked,  let  the  patient  eat  spar- 
ingly of  lime-water  and  milk,  and  gradually  add  a 
little  rice  boiled  to  pieces.  Don't  begin  too  soon  on 
solid  food,  nor  eat  too  much  of  any.  If  the  patient 
is  much  prostrated,  a  little  wine  may  be  cautiously 
used. 


DISEASE   OF   THE   HEART. 

Disease  of  the  heart  is  often  more  apparent  than 
real.  Almost  any  organic  affection  of  this  organ  is 
a  serious  and  formidable  difficulty.  As  it  is  impos- 
sible for  any  one  to  ascertain  the  real  nature  of  the 
disease,  without  the  aid  of  a  physician,  it  would  be 
folly  for  me  to  attempt  to  give  any  advice  as  to 
treatment. 

SYMPATHETIC. 

My  object  in  alluding  to  any  disturbance  of  this 
organ,  is  merely  to*  guard  the  reader  against  unne- 
cessary anxiety  and  fear,  when  the  difficulty  is  sym- 
pathetic. Many  complain  of  disease  of  the  heart, 
when  this  organ  is  only  giving  them  a  friendly  hint, 
that  they  are  intruding  upon  the  peace  of  its  neigh- 
bor, the  stomach. 

Perhaps  I  have  so  often  cautioned  the  reader  in 
relation  to  this  apparatus,  that  he  is  ready  to  say, 
the  doctor  has  come  to  the  conclusion  that  his  fel- 
low-beings are  nearly  all  stomach.  And  how 
can  I  avoid  such  a  conclusion,  when  I  witness  its 
capacity  for  such  marvelous  quantities  of  trash? 
And  as  it  is  a  fact,  that  when  this  organ  is  not 
abused,  the  heart  and  the  head  will  usually  take 
good  care  of  themselves,  I  feel  the  more  constrained 
to  say,  Beware  how  you  trifle  in  this  department. 

There  is  much  palpitation,  and  bounding,  and 
throbbing,  and  fluttering  of  the  heart — and  pain, 
and  difficult  respiration,  and  many  unpleasant  sensa- 


276  DISEASE    OF    THE    HEART. 

tions  in  the  cardiac  region,  all  of  which  are  caused 
by  indigestion,  and  as  soon  as  the  organs  of  diges- 
tion are  relieved,  the  heart  beats  on,  with  all  the 
regularity  of  a  clock. 

HYGIENIC    REMEDIES. 

Now,  to  treat  all  sympathetic  affections  of  the 
heart  successfully,  the  first  and  most  important  step 
is  to  keep  the  digestive  apparatus  in  a  state  of  in- 
tegrity. Eat  plain  food  at  proper  intervals,  and 
in  proper  quantities — exercise  freely  in  the  open  air, 
and  use  cold  water  bathing  and  friction. 

TENDENCY  TO  FATAL  TERMINATION. 

But  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  functional 
disturbance  of  the  heart  long  continued,  may  end  in 
permanent  incurable  organic  disease.  Hence  the 
importance  of  doing  nothing  to  disturb  the  functions 
of  this  vital  organ. 


CROUP. 

This  alarming  disease  is  generally  ushered  in 
with  little  or  no  warning,  and  frequently  in  the  dead 
of  the  night  when  all  is  still,  and  not  the  least  dan- 
ger is  suspected.  It  is  so  frightful,  and  so  suddenly 
fatal,  unless  promptly  arrested,  that  every  one  who 
has  the  charge  of  children  ought  to  know  the  im- 
portance of  proper  treatment,  and  the  necessity  for 
immediate  action.  There  is  no  safety  in  delay,  and 
little  danger,  comparatively,  if  no  time  is  lost. 

SYMPTOMS. 

This  disease  is  confined  almost  entirely  to  chil- 
dren between  one  and  six  years  of  age,  and  those 
who  have  ever  heard  the  peculiar  cough,  or  barking 
sound,  which  is  usually  the  first  symptom  of  its  ap- 
proach, can  never  afterward  mistake  it  for  anything 
else.  It  sounds  somewhat  like  hooping-cough,  but 
the  respiration  is  more  difficult.  It  is  true  there  are 
symptoms,  which  those  who  are  accustomed  to  the 
disease  would  observe  before  the  malady  is  thus  far 
developed  ;  but  usually  the  disease  is  not  suspected 
until  the  alarm  is  given  by  the  peculiar  cough,  and 
stridulous  breathing. 

BE    NOT    DECEIVED. 

I  have  said  that  the  disease  usually  gives  the  alarm 
at  night.  In  the  morning  it  is  frequently  so  much 
better  that  the  parents  begin  to  flatter  themselves 
that  the  child  is  convalescing.  But  be  not  deceived* 


278  CROUP. 


It  may  appear  much  better  throughout  the  day,  but 
when  the  patient  falls  asleep,  then  worse  than  ever, 
if  the  disease  is  not  effectually  checked,  will  come 
on  the  restlessness,  harrassing  cough,  frequent  pulse, 
hoarse  voice,  and  threatened  suffocation. 


The  collapsed  stage  I  need  not  describe,  for  little 
can  then  be  done  to  any  advantage  ;  and  hence  the 
great  importance  of  early  treatment.  Those  who 
are  familiar  with  this  frightful  disease,  so  understand 
it,  that  the  moment  they  hear  the  croupy  cough,  they 
jump  out  of  bed,  and  administer  some  remedy  as  soon 
as  possible. 

TREATMENT. 

I  have  not  spoken  of  the  causes,  for  they  are  not 
well  understood.  Exposure  to  cold,  damp,  currents 
of  air,  is  supposed  to  be  the  most  common  exciting 
cause  of  croup.  Many  are  doubtless  predisposed  to 
this  disease,  and  in  such,  a  slight  cold,  or  other  exci- 
ting cause,  may  develop  it. 

The  first  and  best  remedy  in  all  cases,  at  the  onset, 
is,  a  thorough  emetic,  which  may  be  Ipecac,  say  half 
a  teaspoonful  of  the  powder,  mixed  with  half  a  tum- 
bler of  warm  water,  taken  in  four  equally  divided 
doses  every  five  minutes  till  it  operates  freely,  being 
promoted  by  drinking  warm  water.  Tartar  Emetic 
is  a  remedy  of  more  power  and  value  in  proper 
hands,  but  it  is  not  as  safe  in  domestic  practice,  and 
I  therefore  do  not  recommend  it. 

After  the  emetic,  a  warm  bath,  or,  if  not  conve- 


CROUP.  279 


nient,  use  a  foot  bath,  made  thoroughly  stimulating  by 
mustard,  or  cayenne  pepper,  and  if  a  physician  cannot 
be  had  before  morning,  give  two  grains  of  calomel 
to  a  child  one  year  old,  and  increase  the  dose  one 
grain  for  each  year.  In  four  hours  after  the  calomel 
is  taken,  give  a  dose  of  castor-oil.  If  the  alarming 
symptoms  re-appear,  give  another  emetic,  and  repeat 
the  calomel.  If  the  child  is  of  a  full  habit,  leeches 
will  be  serviceable  if  they  can  be  obtained  early. 
Put  on  as  many  of  moderate  size,  as  the  child  is 
years  old,  but  keep  them  off  the  throat,  for  it  may  be 
necessary  to  stop  the  bleeding  if  the  child  should 
grow  faint,  and  the  throat  will  not  bear  sufficient 
pressure  to  arrest  the  hemorrhage.  Put  them  on  the 
top  of  the  breast  bone,  near  the  throat,  and  then  a 
small  roll  of  cloth  for  a  compress,  say  the  size  of  a 
dime,  but  thicker,  firmly  pressed  over  the  bite  with 
the  end  of  the  finger,  will  surely  prove  effectual,  if 
held  long  enough. 

Now  all  the  remedies  which  have  been  named  ex- 
cept the  leeches,  ean,  and  should  be  kept  in  readi- 
ness, and  especially  where  apothecaries  are  not  at 
hand. 

It  frequently  happens  that  warm  water  is  wanted 
in  haste,  when  perhaps  there  are  neither  fire  nor  ordi- 
nary combustibles  in  the  house.  Now  I  am  in  the 
habit  of  meeting  this  emergency  in  a  way  so  simple 
and  so  practical,  that  I  will  submit  it  to  the  reader, 
hoping  that  it  may  at  some  future  time  sufficiently 
serve  his  purpose  to  atone  for  its  appearing  so  much 
out  of  place. 

Well,  take  a  newspaper  and  tear  it  up  into  strips, 


280  RHEUMATISM. 


say  as  wide  as  your  hand,  and  roll  them  up  loosely 
and  ignite  one  end,  holding  the  roll  perpendicularly, 
to  prevent  the  blaze  from  too  soon  approaching  the 
hand,  and  over  the  blaze  hold  a  metalic  vessel  con- 
taining the  water,  and  those  who  have  never  tried  it 
will  be  surprised  to  see  how  soon  they  can  have  a 
cup  of  tea.  Hence,  to  get  the  full  value  of  a  news- 
paper, we  must  reduce  the  ink  to  practice,  and  the 
paper  to  ashes.  And  here  we  discover  a  two-fold 
inducement  to  patronize  the  Printer.  I  hope  the 
poor  fellows  will  not  be  forgotten. 

RHEUMATISM. 

As  this  malady  is  so  prevalent,  I  suppose  the  reader 
will  hardly  pardon  me  if  I  do  not  listen  a  moment  to 
his  pitiful  complaints  about  his  "  rheumatics."  But 
I  fear  that  I  cannot  be  of  much  service  to  this  class 
of  sufferers.  This  is  a  singular  and  wide-spread  dis- 
ease, and  is  withal  rather  obstinate  being  very  much 
inclined  to  have  its  own  way,  somewhat  like  its  sub- 
jects. 

LOOK    OUT    FOR    METASTASIS. 

There  are  two  distinct  forms  of  rheumatism,  acute 
and  chronic.  The  former  is  generally  called  inflamma- 
tory rheumatism,  and  is  a  very  painful  and  danger- 
ous disease.  Its  principal  danger  lies  in  its  tenden- 
cy to  attack  the  heart.  It  often  suddenly  leaves  its 
original  seat,  and  takes  hold  of  the  heart,  and  some- 
times with  little  or  no  symptoms  to  lead  the  patient 
to  suspect  the  least  danger.  Whenever  this  affec- 


RHEUMATISM.  281 


tion  suddenly  leaves  one  part  and  attacks  another,  it 
is  called  metastasis. 

IMMINENT    PERIL. 

Now  should  the  reader  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  be 
visited  with  this  painful  malady,  and  should  it  abrupt- 
ly leave  the  painful  part,  giving  almost  instant  re- 
lief, you  will  have  reason  to  fear  that  it  has  not  left 
you,  as  many  are  led  to  suppose,  but  that  it  has  rath- 
er taken  up  its  abode  in  some  internal  organ,  and 
probably  the  heart,  and  should  you  feel  more  or  less 
pain  shooting  through  the  chest,  with  palpitation,  and 
experience  a  sense  of  suffocation  or  difficult  breathing, 
and  especially  in  lying  on  the  left  side,  you  ought  to 
be  aware  that  you  are  in  imminent  peril,  and  that 
something  should  be  done  immediately. 

FATAL    CONCLUSION. 

I  make  these  remarks  because  some  seem  to  sup- 
pose that  if  they  have  nothing  but  rheumatism,  there 
is  no  danger  of  dying.  But  it  is  a  great  mistake — a 
fatal  conclusion.  Acute  rheumatism  is  the  most 
common  among  persons  from  fifteen  to  thirty  years 
of  age,  and  the  most  frequent  seat  for  its  attack  seems 
to  be  the  ankles  and  insteps.  The  attack  is  usually 
sudden,  and  in  a  few  hours  the  affected  parts  become 
swollen,  tense,  and  elastic.  The  knees  usually'soon 
become  affected  also,  and  the  limbs  are  completely 
disabled,  and  cannot  be  moved  without  producing 
excruciating  pain.  This  is  attended  with  fever 
profuse  sweating,  frequent  and  full  pulse,  urgent 
thirst,  urine  scanty  and  high  colored. 


282  CHRONIC    RHEUMATISM. 

About  the  end  of  two  weeks  the  severity  of  the 
symptoms  generally  abates.  But  convalescence  is 
seldom  well  established  in  less  than  three  or  four 
weeks. 

CAUSE. 

It  seems  to  be  pretty  well  settled  that  the  tendency 
to  acute  rheumatism  is  to  some  extent  hereditary, 
though  probably  not  as  much  so  a,s,gout.  "  The  only 
known  exciting  cause  is  cold." 

TREATMENT. 

"  No  single  remedy  is  yet  known,"  says  a  popular 
author,  "  nor  any  plan  of  treatment  which  has  the 
power  of  cutting  short  the  course  of  acute  rheuma- 
tism." Well,  if  the  doctor  cannot  cut  it  short,  the 
patient  can  hardly  expect  to  be  very  successful  in 
treating  it.  When  it  attacks  the  heart,  blood-letting 
is  all-important,  and  frequently  when  it  does  not, 
which  will  make  it  indispensable  to  have  a  physician, 
and  to  urge  the  necessity  of  ^his,  is  my  principal  ob- 
ject in  these  brief  hints. 

CHRONIC  RHEUMATISM. 

This  form  of  rheumatism  has  become  very  fashion- 
able. Almost  every  body  complains  more  or  less  of 
rheumatism,  and  this  is  usually  the  form,  if  they  have 
any.  Many  people  call  all  their  pains,  and  uneasy 
sensations,  and  stiffness  of  the  joints,  and  soreness  of 
the  muscles,  rheumatism.  But  the  truth  is,  neither 
they  nor  doctors  themselves,  know  what  else  to  call 
it,  in  many  instances. 


CHRONIC    RHEUMATISM.  283 

Well,  no  matter.  Every  pain  must  -have  a  name. 
Moreover,  it  saves  much  time  and  investigation  to 
be  able  at  any  moment  to  call  all  our  aches  and  pains 
rheumatism. 

TREATMENT. 

This  affection  differs  from  the  acute  form  in  several 
particulars.  It  is  never  so  severe — never  attacks  the 
heart ;  and  seldom,  if  ever,  is  it  entirely  cured.  It 
is  generally  much  worse  during  the  cold  season,  and 
especially  in  a  damp  chilly  atmosphere.  On  the  re- 
turn of  summer  it  is  much  better,  and  frequently  the 
patient  thinks  that  it  has  departed  altogether.  But, 
see  if  a  few  cold  rain  storms  and  frosty  nights  do  not 
wake  up  the  lurking  intruder. 

This  ought  to  be  a  sufficient  hint  to  induce  us  to 
protect  ourselves  with  a  proper  quantity  and  quality 
of  clothing.  Put  on  plenty  of  flannel  or  fur,  and 
keep  it  on  till  warm  weather,  and  then  too,  if  you 
like  it.  This  disease  so  often  baffles  every  kind  of 
treatment  which  seems  to  be  indicated,  that  I  must 
confess  that  I  have  very  little  faith  in  drugs.  Take 
a  trip  to  the  West  Indies,  some  say,  and  others  affirm 
that  although  much  benefit  may  be  derived  at  the 
time,  yet  the  predisposition  to  a  re-attack  will  be 
stronger  than  ever,  after  the  patient  returns.  Others 
recommend  mineral  waters,  such  as  sulphur  springs. 
Marked  relief  has  been  obtained  from  wrapping  up 
the  affected  part  in  a  thick  paste  of  sulphur  and  mo- 
lasses. I  suppose,  however  that  if  the  sulphur  had 
been  mixed  with  lard,  oil,  butter,  vinegar,  cider,  or 
almost  anything  else, it  would  have  done  just  as  much 
good. 


284  DYSPEPSIA. 


A  sulphur  .fume  bath  is  probably  as  effectual  as 
any  application.  Simply  steaming  the  part  is  often 
of  much  service.  Whatever  you  do,  whether  you 
use  hot  water  or  cold,  don't  forget  the  friction.  For 
all  stiff  joints  and  muscles,  no  matter  what  the  cause, 
there  is  nothing  better,  if  it  is  thoroughly  done. 


DYSPEPSIA. 

HAVE  PATIENCE  TO  READ  AND  FAITH  TO  PRACTICE. 
\ 

While  others  receive  a  hint,  the  dyspeptic  more 
than  all  will  expect  to  be  noticed.  And  perhaps 
no  other  sufferer  needs  a  hint  as  much.  As  I  feel 
deeply  to  sympathize  with  this  unfortunate  class  of 
invalids,  the  reader  will  permit  me  to  briefly  notice 
a  disease  which  hardly  an  individual  of  sedentary 
habits,  entirely  escapes.  But  possibly  I  have  already 
said  more  than  the  dyspeptic  has  patience  to  read, 
or  faith  to  practice. 

A    WEAK   SPOT. 

"  The  most  of  men,"  says  an  author,  "  by  accident 
or  constitution,  have  one  organ  more  prone  to  dis- 
ease than  any  other.  It  may  be  the  stomach,  the 
lungs,  the  brain,  the  heart.  In  that  organ,  whichever 
of  these  it  may  be,  any  exciting  or  debilitating  expo- 
sure is  apt,  first,  to  generate  derangement.  That 
derangement  then  acts  on  all  the  other  organs  in 
exactly  the  same  way  as  the  primary  foreign  cause 
acted  on  the  organ  first  deranged.  In  consequence, 


DYSPEPSIA.  235 


the  organ    next    prone   to   disease,    next    becomes 
affected." 

In  this  manner,  and  by  the  various  channels  of 
circulation,  respiration,  sensibility,  &c,  the  derange- 
ment of  the  digestive  organs,  secondarily  implicates 
the  brain,  heart,  spine,  lungs,  &c. 

WIDE-SPREAD    CALAMITY. 

There  is  probably  no  other  disease  with  which  the 
human  family  are  afflicted  to  so  great  an  extent  at  the 
present  day,  as  with  dyspepsia.  Moreover,  there 
are  few  which  make  the  sufferer  more  perfectly 
wretched,  although  many  others  are  more  fatal. 

The  sufferings  of  the  body  are  by  no  means  incon- 
siderable, and  sometimes  almost  sufficient  to  make 
one  sick  of  life.  The  wretched  state  of  the  mind 
is  often  still  worse. 

This  disease  abounds  more  in  civic  than  in  rural 
districts,  and  is  more  confined  to  those  of  sedentary 
habits,  than  to  the  active.  Want  of  exercise  in  the 
tfpen  air,  and  imprudent  eating  and  drinking  have 
much  to  do  in  producing  this  disease.  A  writer 
observes,  that  integrity  of  the  digestive  organs  is 
the  best  guarantee  against  the  invasion  of  disease 
in  any  of  the  others'9  Hence  we  perceive  the  im- 
portance of  using  every  precaution  to  keep  these 
organs  in  a  healthful  condition. 

SYMPTOMS. 

Headache  is  one  of  the  common  and  troublesome  ef- 
fects of  dyspepsia.  Indeed,  some  are  hardly  free  from 
•t  for  months  together.  Others  are  more  troubled  with 


286  DYSPEPSIA. 


a  kind  of  confusion  in  the  head,  which  makes  them 
miserable  without  much  real  pain.  They  feel  as 
though  they  were  "not  themselves,"  as  they  often 
say,  and  harbor  the  thought  that  it  is  useless  to  try  to 
improve  their  condition. 

There  is  often  a  tenderness  along  the  spine,  espe- 
cially on  the  neck  portion.  Frequently  there  is 
tightness  like  a  band  around  the  temples — and  often 
dark  spots  (muscae  volitantes)  float  before  the  eyes. 
Almost  every  dyspeptic  is  perfectly  familiar  with 
many  other  symptoms,  such  as  nausea,  vomiting, 
flatulence,  heartburn,  acid  stomach,  want  of  appetite, 
craving,  voracious  appetite,  constipation  at  one  time, 
and  diarrhoea  at  another,  want  of  strength,  ambition, 
confidence,  hope,  &c.  &c.  Sometimes  but  one  pro- 
minent symptom  is  present  for  many  days,  and  it  can 
hardly  be  expected  that  all  which  I  have  named  will 
exist  in  any  case  at  the  same  time. 

Dr.  J.  Johnson,  of  London,  believes  that  tic  dolo- 
reux,  epilepsy,  and  chorea,  or  St.  Vitus'  dance,  are 
owing  to  irritation  in  the  stomach  and  bowels  ;  and 
there"  is  not  a  doubt  that  all  those  severe  neuralgic 
pains  which  often  so  torture  the  body,  are  frequently 
the  sequel  of  some  derangement  in  the  digestive 
organs. 

Another  marked  symptom  is  debility.  There  is 
generally  more  or  less  loss  of  flesh  and  strength. 
Patients  often  dread  to  make  an  effort  to  ascend  a 
flight  of  stairs,  and  when  they  attempt  it,  it  is  fre- 
quently attended  with  a  distressing  fluttering  of  the 
heart,  which  makes  them  inclined  to  sit  down  at  the 
top. 


DYSPEPSIA.  287 


Another  symptom,  and  which  appears  early  in 
the  disease,  is  great  sensitiveness  to  the  cold.  Such 
persons  hardly  fail  to  have  cold  feet. 

MISTAKEN    SUPPOSITION. 

Again,  it  is  quite  common  for  dyspeptics  to  be 
harrassed  with  a  bad  cough ;  and  as  it  is  often  at- 
tended with  more  or  less  expectoration,  wasting  of 
the  flesh  and  strength,  and  other  alarming  symptoms, 
no  wonder  that  the  patient  and  his  friends  begin  to 
tremble,  as  they  suspect  the  malady  to  be  nothing 
less  than  consumption.  Indeed  it  is,  yet  fortunately 
the  kind  of  consumption  that  can  be  cured  if  the 
patient  is  willing. 

PHYSICAL   CAUSES. 

Next  to  errors  in  diet  and  sedentary  habits,  there 
is  probably  no  more  fruitful  source  of  dyspepsia, 
than  improper  drugging.  It  can  hardly  be  con- 
demned in  too  strong  terms.  I  would  here  respect- 
fully urge  the  reader  to  give  this  subject  a  candid 
thought.  Possibly  you  may  see  the  day  that  you 
will  wish  that  you  had  earlier  laid  it  to  heart.  Many 
would  gladly  retrace  their  steps  in  this  particular  if 
they  could.  The  evil  thus  done  is  a  serious  and 
often  irreparable  one.  Let  mothers  remember  it. 

SELF-TREATMENT. 

Young  ladies,  from  want  of  proper  attention  to 
diet,  exercise,  and  other  hygienic  agents,  are  prone 
to  be  costive ;  and  frequently  from  fear  that  a 
physician  may  be  called,  let  the  matter  go  on  **  from 


288  DYSPEPSIA. 


bad  to  worse,"  until  the  general  health  becomes  in- 
volved, or,  what  is  common,  resort  to  self-treatment, 
which  is  often  worse  than  to  let  nature  take  its 
course.  They  go  on  taking  pills,  powders,  mixtures, 
&c.,  by  the  recommendation  of  mothers,  friends,  and 
those  they  happen  to  meet,  and  the  more  they  take 
the  more  indispensable  does  it  appear. 

COUNT    THE    COST. 

Nor  is  this  state  of  things  confined  to  young  ladies. 
Many  others  destroy  their  digestive  organs  by  a 
frequent  repetition  of  drastic  cathartics  and  other 
improper  remedies.  When  they  once  enter  upon 
this  course  of  treatment,  it  does  not  seem  easy  to 
stop,  as  the  nature  of  the  derangement  which  calls 
for  assistance  is  only  aggravated,  and  consequently 
a  repetition  must  follow ;  and,  to  use  the  language  of 
another, "  is  constantly  employed  by  him,  but  probably 
after  his  own  judgment,  no  physician  having  been  yet 
applied  to  by  him.  He  therefore  falls  into  numerous 
and  grave  mistakes,  as  to  the  selection  of  medicines, 
and  the  times  and  circumstances  in  which  they  ought 
to  be  used.  By  such  self-treatment,  often  more  des- 
tructive than  quackery,  and  more  extensive  in  its 
operation,  I  have  known  irreparable  damage  done 
by  patients  to  themselves;  and  easily  remediable 
derangements  converted  into  permanent  disease, 
and  enfeebling  effects  produced  on  the  constitution, 
which  no  subsequent  care  or  art  of  the  most  skillful 
physician  could  ever  fully  repair." 


DYSPEPSIA. 


289 


CAN'T  BELIEVE  IT. 

Xow,  a  warning  voice  against  such  mal-treatment 
is  the  more  needful  because  these  drugs  generall}' 
give  relief  at  the  time  they  are  taken,  which  makes 
it  hard  to  convince  the  patient  of  their  destructive 
tendency.  They  greatly  relieve  the  body  and  the 
mind  for  a  day  or  two,  filling  the  patient  with  hope 
and  delight,  but  they  bring  in  their  train  a  more 
formidable  and  abiding  difficulty,  even  one  which 
drugs  instead  of  removing,  only  aggravate.  It  is 
often  painful  to  witness  the  destruction  of  a  good 
constitution  by  numerous  and  ruinous  improprieties. 

MENTAL    CAUSES. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  remember  that  mental 
agencies  have  much  to  do  in  producing  as  well  as 
curing  dyspepsia.  There  are  many  ways  in  which 
this  sore  affliction  may  be  thus  produced.  An  un- 
kind word,  a  little  cold  neglect,  or  a  sudden  fright, 
may  sufficiently  depress  the  mind,  to  produce  the 
most  painful  physical  effect.  And  in  this  respect 
are  men  no  less  responsible,  at  least  morally,  for  any 
intentional  mental  injury,  than  where  physical  suf- 
fering is  the  primary  result. 

For  instance,  a  man  who  would  not  presume 
to  remove  a  hair  from  his  neighbor's  head,  will 
approach  his  mental  comforts  with  more  foxes  and 
fire-brands  than  ever  Samson  sent  into  the  harvest 
fields  of  the  Philistines,  with  little  or  no  compunc- 
tion, though  verily  as  guilty  as  if  he  had  destroyed 
his  property,  or  injured  his  person.  Indeed  he  does 


290  DYSPEPSIA. 


injure    his    person  and    frequently  more   seriously 
than  he  even  supposes  possible. 

Other  causes,  both  physical  and  mental,  might  be 
mentioned,  but  it  is  unnecessary. 

MENTAL  EFFECTS. 

In  protracted  dyspepsia,  the  diseased  organs  mor- 
bidly affect  the  mental  faculties.  Hence,  the  mind 
becomes  gloomy,  fearful,  fretful,  suspicious,  jealous, 
depraved,  selfish,  stupid,  sullen  and  wandering.  The 
man  has  no  confidence  in  himself,  none  in  his  physi- 
cian, none  in  his  friends,  and  is  afraid  to  meet  his 
own  shadow  alone.  Oh  !  how  wretched  and  how  to 
be  pitied ! 

FEARFUL  RESULT. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a  man  in  this  form  of 
insanity,  (and  it  is  hardly  anything  less,)  will  make 
resolutions  and  redeem  them,  the  very  thought  of 
which,  in  a  sound  state  of  mind  and  body,  would 
make  him  shudder. 

CALL    FOR    SYMPATHY. 

Now,  this  is  one  of  the  most  serious  parts  of  our 
subject,  which  our  reader  should  not  forget ;  for  if 
he  is  fortunate  enough  to  have  none  of  these  terrible 
symptoms,  yet,  by  keeping  this  in  mind,  lie  will  be 
prepared  to  feel  for  those  who  certainly  need  the  sym- 
pathies of  humanity  as  much  as  any  other  <*,lass  of  suf- 
ferers which  can  be  found  in  this  world  01  misery. 
This  is  no  speculation,  it  is  no  trifle.  Here  is  a  point 


DYSPEPSIA.  291 

of  the  utmost  importance,  and  one  which  I  believe 
is  too  much  neglected  by  the  profession  and  others. 

DRIVEN    TO    THE   GALLOWS  1 

There  can  hardly  be  a  doubt  on  the  mind  of  any 
man  who  has  ever  given  this  subject  a  careful  ex- 
amination, that  many  have  ended  their  days  on  the 
gallows,  who  would  have  lived  and  died  respected,  if 
they  had  ever  been  entirely  free  from  gastric  irrita- 
tion. Yes,  instead  of  the  mind  being  "  expanded  with 
that  disinterested  generosity  and  philanthropy  which 
prompts  to  all  that  is  worthy  or  noble  in  action," 
under  the  deleterious  influence  of  despondency  and 
gastric  irritation,  it  drives  the  dyspeptic  to  the  intox- 
icating cup,  the  narcotic  drug,  the  gambler's  resort, 
the  state  prison's  cell,  the  hangman's  halter  and  the 
suicide's  end. 

Dr.  Philip  remarks  that  this  disease  "  is  charac- 
terized by  a  despondency  that  is  hardly  equalled 
by  any  other." 

Dr.  Paris  says,  "  The  depression  of  the  dyspeptic 
spirit  increases  as  the  disease  advances  ;  he  gives 
his  case  up  as  lost,  loses  flesh,  suffers  a  thousand 
distressing  sensations,  and  fancies  the  existence  of  a 
thousand  more." 

And  Dr.  J.  Johnson  declares  that^ "  It  is  under  the 
influence  of  such  paroxysms  as  these  that  nine- 
tenths  of  those  melancholy  instances  of  suicide, 
v.Thich  shock  the  ears  of  the  public,  take  place." 


292  DYSPEPSIA. 


MYSTERIOUS    COMMUNICATION. 

In  treating  no  other  disease  is  it  more  important  to 
keep  in  view  the  influence  of  the  mind  upon  the 
malady.  The  mind  acts  upon  the  brain,  the  great 
nervous  centre,  and  depot  of  all  intelligence,  which 
communicates  such  impressions  as  it  receives,  to  the 
different  parts  of  the  system,  by  those  little  nervous 
channels,  which  are  far  more  wonderful  than  all  hu- 
man inventions  put  together,  and  through  the  me- 
dium of  this  mysterious  telegraph,  the  muscles,  which 
are  the  active  organs  of  locomotion,  receive  orders, 
and  are  correspondingly  active  or  passive,  according 
to  the  nature  of  the  communication. 

ENCOURAGE    CHEERFULNESS. 

So  when  the  mind  envelopes  the  brain  with  a  de- 
pressing influence,  acting  upon  it  like  a  narcotic, 
paralyzing  its  functions,  the  life-giving  energy  which 
usually  radiates  from  it  to  all  parts  of  the  system,  is 
deficient,  and  all  the  vital  organs  become  more  or 
less  torpid.  Hence  the  importance  of  keeping  the 
mental  faculties  in  a  pleasant  frame,  both  in  prevent- 
ing disorder  and  in  curing  disease.  But  this  is  not 
all. 

PATHOLOGICAL     UPROAR. 

One  dyspeptic  man  who  happens  to  be  naturally 
nervous  and  excitable,  may  be  enough  to  keep  a 
whole  neighborhood  in  a  perfect  uproar.  And  if 
there  chance  to  be  many  of  the  same  stamp  in  town, 
a  quiet  man,  fond  of  peace,  would  almost  as  soon 
tolerate  a  modern  mob. 


DYSPEPSIA.  293 


*  In  a  multitude  of  cases,"  says  an  author,  "  the 
dom  ;stic  unhappiness  of  families  is  owing  to  the  ir- 
ritability of  temper  and  discontent  of  particular  mem- 
bers of  them  :  which  irritability  and  discontent  are  in 
many  cases  purely  owing  to  digestive  derangements." 

INDICATION    FOR    CHARITY. 

It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice,  that  in  these  cases  of 
unhappy  commotion,  which  the  author  alluded  to, 
very  properly  calls  a  "  multitude,"  the  real  cause  is 
never  suspected.  And  but  for  this  cause,  how  many 
would  be  happy  themselves,  and  a  great  comfort  to 
others,  who,  so  far  as  real  enjoyment  is  concerned, 
receive  little,  and  produce  less.  They  are  always 
out  of  tune,  and  so  there  is  no  harmony  without  or 
within.  They  are  miserable  themselves,  and  almost 
conclude  that  others  ought  to  be  no  better  off. 

They  provoke  and  grieve  their  best  friends  almost 
beyond  endurance,  and  know  not  why.  Perhaps 
fancy  that  they  are  right,  and  others  wrong.  A 
man  in  health  may  bear  an  insult  with  that  mag- 
nanimous composure  which  commands  universal  ad- 
miration; but  let  gastric  irritation  supervene,  and  a 
very  slight  offence  will  make  him  flash  like  gun- 
powder, and  rave  like  a  maniac.  And  yet  he  would 
never  suspect  the  cause  of  his  irritable  temper. 

MORE    SICK    THAN    CROSS. 

It  may  be  proper  for  me.  to  step  asid-j  far  enough 
to  give  parents,  and  those  who  have  the  charge  of 
children,  one  hint  in  relation  to  this  matter. 

Whenever  you  find  acliikl  more  irritable  and  fret- 


294  DYSPEPSIA. 


ful  that  usual — and  you  are  probably  aware  that  it 
is  easier  to  discover  such  a  pathological  state  in  your 
children,  than  in  yourself— depend  upon  it  that  child 
is  not  well;  and  instead  of  saying,  "The  child  is 
cross!'  you  had  better  say,  the  child  is  sick.  It  will 
not  only  be  nearer  the  truth,  but  it  will  put  the  evil  in 
a  more  favorable  position  to  be  remedied. 

Be  assured  there  is  something  wrong  in  the 
system,  and  you  ought  to  search  it  out.  Let  the  dis- 
order be  removed  before  it  becomes  disease.  And, 
nine  times  out  of  ten,  the  digestive  apparatus  will  be 
found  involved  in  the  difficulty. 

UNFORTUNATE    TENDENCY. 

From  the  tendency  of  the  disease  now  under  con- 
sideration, to  morbidly  affect  the  mental  as  well  as 
the  physical  constitution,  we  perceive  that  it  is  pe- 
culiarly unfortunate  for  men  in  public  life  to  be  har- 
rassed  with  this  disease. 

So  the  man  who  unfortunately  has  naturally  an 
irritable  disposition,  (if  there  be  such  a  thing  strictly 
speaking  independent  of  morbific  influence,)  will  find 
it  much  harder  to  strive  against  this  infirmity  with 
the  twin-sister  of  irritation  in  his  bosom. 

It  is  truly  unfortunate  enough  for  all,  but  it  seems 
to  be  worse  for  some  than  for  others  to  be  thus  af- 
flicted. 

For  example,  is  it  not  worse  for  the  clergyman 
than  the  wood-sawyer  ? 

Most  assuredly  it  is,  for  the  bonds  of  union  between 
pastor  and  people  are  doubtless  sometimes  severed 
through  this  very  agency  to  some  extent,  yet  of  course 
the  very  last  cause  to  be  suspected. 


DYSPEPSIA.  295 


HEAR   MORE SLEEP    LESS. 

If  the  minister  had  not  been  quite  so  dyspeptic,  he 
would  perhaps  have  preached  a  little  better.  And 
if  the  congregation  had  had  a  little  less  gastric  de- 
rangement, they  would  have  heard  a  good  deal  more, 
and  slept  a  good  deal  less. 

THE    DIFFERENCE. 

But  if  the  wood-sawyer  happens  to  be  a  dyspeptic, 
though  I  never  saw  such  an  one,  when  anything  dis- 
turbs or  frets  him,  he  can  saw  on  the  harder,  and 
make  the  splinters  fly  the  faster. 

Not  so  the  clergyman.  Can  he  chop  logic,  as  the 
man  in  the  forest  chops  wood  ?  Not  quite.  But  we 
need  pursue  this  part  of  our  subject  no  further.  A 
word  to  the  dyspeptic  will  suffice. 

TREATMENT, 

Ah,  yes,  says  the  dyspeptic,  that  is  what  I  want  to 
know  something  about.  I  do  not  care  to  hear  much 
about  the  symptoms,  for  I  am  quite  too  familiar  with  them 
already.  And  as  for  the  effects,  I  suppose  that  I  have 
realized  more  in  one  short  hour  than  you  can  tell  me 
in  a  month.  The  causes  interest  me  little  more,  for 
I  am  now  more  anxious  to  know  h*ow  to  get  out  of 
the  trap,  than  to  know  how  I  got  in  ! 

DON'T  BELIEVE  IT. 

I  have  straggled  long  and  hard  to  escape  this 
wretched  bondage.  One  says,  do  this,  and  your  heart- 
burn, flatulence,  constipation,  vomiting,  gloominess, 
and  a  score  of  other  physical  and  mental  tormentors 


290  DYSPEPSIA. 


will  quickly  disappear.     Another  says,  take  that,  and 
you  will  surely  find  relief. 

A    LITTLE    TOO    MUCH. 

But  the  more  I  hear,  the  less  I  know ;  and  the  more 
I  do,  the  worse  I  feel.  One  would  suppose  that  I  had 
done  quite  enough  long  ago  to  be  cured  ;  for  I  have 
followed  almost  every  body's  direction,  young  and 
old,  bond  and  free.  I  have  tried  all  sorts  of  drugs, 
both  good  and  bad — all  sorts  of  doctors,  sane  and 
mad — all  sorts  of  systems,  new  and  old — all  sorts  of 
climates,  hot  and  cold — all  sorts  of  food,  as  well  as 
fasting,  and  all  to  no  purpose.  Still  I  abstain  and 
dose,  and  starve  and  feed,  and  hope  and  fear,  and 
toil  and  rest,  and  walk  and  run  to  get  advice ;  and 
here  comes  my  fifteenth  doctor,  who  is  also  well 
nigh  puzzled  to  know  what  I  shall  do  next ! 


298  DYSPEPSIA. 


Ah,  yes,  you  have  done  quite  too  much ;  and  the 
wonder  is  not  that  you  are  not  cured ;  but  the  mys- 
tery is,  that  you  are  not  killed  ! 

RESULT    DOUBTFUL. 

Now  I  confess  that  I  well  nigh-  despair  of  giving 
any  advice  to  such  an  invalid  that  will  be  of  any 
value,  unless  he  will  resolve  at  once  to  abide  by  the 
directions  of  his  family  doctor,  and  let  quacks  starve 
if  they  will,  rather  than  work.  But  this  he  probably 
will  not  do.  When  the  physician  informs  him  that 
certain  remedial  agents  are  needful,  and  prepares  for 
him  the  very  article  which  he  needs,  and  tells  him  to 
take  a  given  quantity  daily  for  a  week,  or  a  month, 
and  take  nothing  else ;  after  a  dose  or  two,  he  be- 
gins to  want  a  change,  if  not  of  doctors,  of  remedies, 
.and,  by  the  help  of  friends  and  others,  down  goes  a 
dozen  different  kinds  of  drugs,  in  as  many  days. 

TOO    MUCH    IN    A    HURRY. 

If  the  physician  says,  Stop  awhile,  and  let  nature 
have  a  chance  to  do  her  part  of  the  cure,  and  refuses 
to  give  h'm  any  medicine  for  a  week,  before  Satur- 
day night  he  will  very  likely  consult  every  man  and 
woman  skilled  in  the  healing  art$  within  his  reach  ; 
and  resolve  to  thrust  into  his  abused  stomach  a  good 
share  of  all  the  trash  that  time  and  folly  can  collect. 

NO    STAMINA. 

If  his  physician  says,  be  sure  that  you  eat  nothing 
within  ten  days,  but  boiled  rice,  bread  and  milk,  roast- 


DYSPEPSIA.  299 

ed  oysters,  and  occasionally  a  little  mutton-chop ; 
if  his  appetite  is  voracious,  as  is  frequently  the 
case,  and  his  palate  fitful,  he  will  very  likely  be 
seen  in  less  than  half  the  time,  running  after  Bologna 
sausages,  diving  into  plum-puddings — pushing  down 
apple-dumplings — and  wishing  that  he  had  a  few 
tarts,  a  measure  of  nuts,  a  dish  of  fried  clams,  a  bowl 
of  sour-crout  and  a  dozen  cigars. 

The  dyspeptic  is  generally  made  so,  by  eating  im- 
proper food — is  kept  so,  by  eating  such,  and  too  much 
of  it,  and  if  he  is  ever  cured,  it  will  be  by  taking 
proper  remedies,  and  in  moderate  quantities,  from  the 
diiyier-table,  rather  than  from  the  drug-shop. 

JUBILEE. 

But  still  he  may  be  so  situated  that  a  few  hints 
may  not  come  amiss.  And  surely  if  any  feeble  effort 
of  mine,  can  straighten  the  crooked  path,  and 
smooth  the  rugged  way  of  a  dyspeptic,  1  shall  esteem 
it  as  one  of  the  most  fortunate  circumstances  of  my 
life.  For  scarce  anything  earthly  could  give  me  more 
satisfaction,  than  to  see  such  an  unfortunate  mortal 
rejoicing  in  health,  and  find  him  sending  abroad 
among  his  friends  the  glad  tidings  of  his  deliverance, 
saying,  Come  in  and  rejoice  with  me,  for  "the  year  of 
Jubilee  has  come  /" 

You  ask  what  you  shall  do  ;  and  although  I  may 
not  be  able  to  give  you  a  satisfactory  answer,  or  as 
good  advice  as  you  have  had  already,  for  I  have  no 
wonderful  specifics,  and  do  not  expect  any,  yet,  let  me 
say  one  thin^,  and  that  is,  Do  not  do  too  much. 


300  DYSPEPSIA. 


DANGER    OF  DRUGGING. 

Remember  that  I  remarked,  that  improper  drug- 
ging was  one  of  the  very  common  causes  of  this  dis- 
ease, and  if  this  be  true,  as  I  verily  believe  that  it  is, 
we  can  hardly  expect  it  to  prove  a  cure.  You  had 
better  stand  still  than  to  go  in  the  wrong  direction. 
You  will  find  the  right  path  much  sooner,  and  come  to 
the  end  of  your  journey  much  safer. 

NATURE'S  SPECIFICS. 

The  next  caution  that  T  would  give  you,  is,  to  look 
well  to  your  regimen.  Remember  the  advice  given 
under  the  heads  of  diet  and  exercise,  and  not  forget 
the  few  hints  on  ventilation,  or  the  importance  of 
pure  air.  These  are  the  grand  remedies  which  are 
always  found  in  Nature's  great  medicine  chest.  These 
are  her  specifics.  Hence  it  becomes  you  to  look 
\vell  to  these  agents,  and  treat  them  as  your  best 
friends,  and  keep  in  mind,  that  in  abusing  them  you 
abuse  yourself,  and  be  as  cautious  how  you  step 
aside  from  the  path  of  safety,  as  if  you  were  walking 
among  asps ! 

STEADILY    PERSEVERE. 

With  due  attention  to  diet,  (see  lime-water  and  milk,) 
exercise,  pure  air,  regular  and  temperate  habits,  use 
of  the  cold  shower-bath,  beginning  with  tepid  water, 
gradually  increasing  the  cold,  a  draught  of  cold  wa- 
ter the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  a  table-spoonful 
of  finely  pulverized  charcoal  daily,  plenty  of  friction. 
two  or  three  times  a  day,  over  the  entire  abdomen 
and  spine  with  strong  vinegar  and  salt,  cold  water 


DYSPEPSIA.  801 


injections,  and  by  letting  drugs  alone,  unless  your 
physician  directs  them,  and  last,  but  not  least,  with 
a  cheerful  frame  of  mind,  we  may  confidently  hope 
for  a  favorable  result.  Aim  at  regular  habits  every 
morning,  and  observe  an  appointed  hour,  and  you 
will  probably  be  agreeably  disappointed  in  the  result. 
Carefully  watch  the  effects  of  different  articles  of 
food,  and  religiously  shun  such  edibles  as  disturb  the 
peace  of  the  stomach. 

CHEER  UP. 

Believing  that  nothing  but  harm  will  be  gained  by 
gloomy  spirits,  I  would  again  urge  the  importance 
of  such  a  variety  of  exercises  and  pursuits  as  will 
tend  to  keep  the  mind  in  as  pleasant  a  frame  as  possi- 
ble. Keeping  this  in  view,  I  have  endeavored  from 
the  outset,  as  the  reader  is  aware,  to  keep  up  if  possi- 
ble, a  cheerful  flow  of  mental  sensations.  Possibly 
I  shall  not  escape,  the  charge  of  excess.  To  accom- 
modate any,  1  will  plead  guilty,  for  I  am  aware  of 
my  fallibility. 

But  never  mind  that.  Chase  away  your  gloomy 
thoughts — forget  your  pains — shut  out  your  fears — 
light  up  your  hopes — wake  up  your  powers — brace 
up  your  nerves — hunt  up  your  friends — drive  off 
your  foes — dry  up  your  tears — and  just  turn  over  the 
leaf,  and  look  awhile  at  the  bright  side  of  the  pic- 
ture. And,  among  other  remedies,  ride  horseback, 
chase  game,  dig  in  the  garden,  weed  the  onions,  kill 
the  rose-bugs,  look  at  the  flowers,  bow  to  the  ladies, 
feed  the  chickens,  run,  jump,  laugh,  shout,  hope, 
hunt,  fish,  whistle,  sing,  rest. 


OPHTHALMIA. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  proper  for  me  to  give  a  few 
hints  respecting  diseases  of  the  eye.  Probably  there 
is  no  organ  in  the  body,  except  the  stomach,  which 
is  more  abused  than  the  organ  of  vision.  And  if 
we  except  vital  organs,  there  is  certainly  none  which 
is  more  indispensable.  The  prospect  of  becoming 
blind,  rarely  fails  to  excite  the  most  painful  feelings 
in  the  mind  of  the  sufferer,  and  to  lose  all  useful  vi- 
sion, is  truly  a  calamity  to  be  deplored  by  all.  The 
abuse  of  this  beautiful  apparatus  is  two-fold.  It  is 
abused  in  health,  by  being  overtaxed.  It  is  often 
abused  in  disease,  by  being  maltreated. 

Many  persons  use  their  eyes  too  much  by  artifi- 
cial light.  No  one  who  complains  of  pain,  weak- 
ness, or  impaired  vision,  should  read  at  night,  or  do 
any  work  which  requires  a  constant  use  of  this 
organ.  And  if  many  persons  would  observe  this 
rule  even  by  day  light,  for  one  year,  they  might 
reasonably  expect  to  enjoy  good  vision  afterward, 
through  life,  who  without  this  observance  will  sooner 
or  later  need  some  one  to  lead  them  by  the  hand, 
whether  they  are  now  aware  of  their  danger  or 
not. 

When  the  eye  has  been  used  to  excess  there  is 
no  treatment  equal  to  rest,  though  other  remedies 
may  also  be  needful  to  restore  it  to  its  former 
vigorous  state.  Whenever  the  eye  is  destroyed  by 
disease,  it  is  generally  on  account  of  neglect  or  self- 
treatment,  or,  what  is  often  still  worse,  the  maltreat- 
ment of  quacks. 


OPHTHALMIA.  303 


As  many  diseases  of  the  eye  in  the  incipient 
stage  appear  so  trifling  to  the  inexperienced,  that 
not  the  least  danger  is  suspected,  though  the  most 
serious  consequences  frequently  follow,  I  feel  some- 
what reluctant  to  give  any  directions  for  self-treat- 
ment, lest  some  one  by  trying  what  the  book  says, 
should  lose  the  favorable  period  for  arresting  the 
malady,  and  disastrous  consequences  be  the  result. 
Indeed  those  who  live  in  cities  and  towns,  where 
medical  aid  is  always  at  hand,  need  no  book  advice. 

But  the  reader  may  be  so  situated  that  a  few 
plain,  simple  directions,  may  possibly  promote  his 
welfare,  and  with  this  in  view,  I  call  his  attention  to 
a  few  suggestions.  Of  course  I  shall  be  brief;  for, 
in  the  first  place,  I  can  say  but  very  little  that  will 
be  of  any  practical  value  to  any  one  who  does  not 
understand  the  distinguishing  marks  of  different 
ophthalmic  diseases,  the  effect  of  different  remedies, 
&c.  In  the  next  place,  almost  any  disease  of  the 
eye  will  permit  the  patient  to  travel,  in  case  that 
suitable  medical  aid  cannot  be  otherwise  obtained, 
and  therefore  the  treatment  that  I  shall  herein  re- 
commend, will  have  reference  to  an  acute  attack  of 
inflammation,  and  will  be  mainly  calculated  to  arrest 
the  force  of  the  disease,  and  thereby  avert  immediate 
clanger,  until  requisite  treatment  can  be  obtained. 

The  reader  will  bear  with  me  while-  I  again  call 
his  attention  to  the  stomach.  This  is  the  point 
where  "  line  upon  line"  is  required  even  in  every  dis- 
ease, and  in  all  inflammatory  affections  of  the  eye 
it  is  of  the  first  importance  to  pay  careful  attention 
to  the  digestive  organs.  To  attempt  to  cure  ophthal 


S04  OPHTHALMIA. 


mia  and  neglect  this,  would  be  like  trying  to  purify 
the  stream  without  any  attention  to  the  fountain. 

The  first  thing  therefore  to  be  done,  is,  to  stop 
eating.  Cut  the  diet  right  down  at  once,  and  this  is 
full  half  the  treatment.  It  will  be  Understood  that  I 
am  now  considering  the  patient  to  be  in  ordinary 
health  and  strength,  except  the  local  difficulty,  and 
the  disease  to  be  in  the  acute  stage.  At  night  take 
a  blue  pill,  if  conveniently  obtained,  and  the  next 
morning  a  dose  of  Epsom  Salts  or  Castor-oil,  say  an 
ounce,  or  a  sufficient  quantity  to  produce  a  copious 
evacuation.  If  needful,  this  may  be  repeated  the 
second  or  third  day  according  to  circumstances.  Eat 
nothing  richer  than  gruel,  rice-water,  or  arrow-root, 
not  a  particle  of  animal  food.  Bathe  the  eye  in 
water,  warm  or  cold,  which  ever  is  the  most  grateful 
to  the  part.  If  the  eye  is  painful,  a  drop  or  two  of 
laudanum  in  a  spoonful  of  water,  may  be  used  as  a 
wash  frequently  through  the  day. 

To  prevent  the  lids  from  sticking  together  at  night, 
grease  the  edges  with  fresh  lard.  It  is  a  very 
common  pratice  with  many  to  poultice  the  eye,  and 
which  is  about  the  worst  thing  that  can  be  done,  and 
almost  the  only  case  where  a  poultice  does  harm. 

Another  error  frequently  committed,  is,  to  shut 
one's  self  up  in  a  dark  room.  If  there  is  great  in- 
tolerance of  light,  the  room  may  be  moderately 
darkened.  Otherwise  there  is  no  call  for  it.  Take 
two  doses  of  pure  air,  to  one  of  physic. 

To  put  goggles  on  the  eyes,  is  another  injurious 
application.  The  eye  should  not  be  smothered  in 
any  such  way.  Keep  off  your  goggles,  bandages, 


OPHTHALMIA.  305 


poultices,  and  every  thing  else  but  a  simple  shade. 
Let  the  eye  have  air,  and  the  lungs  too,  pure  air  and 
plenty  of  it. 

Much  other  treatment  may  be  required,  according 
to  the  nature  and  violence  of  the  malady,  but  as  the 
aid  of  a  physician  will  be  needful,  I  will  not  enlarge 
upon  this  subject.  See  that  you  employ  a  man  who 
thoroughly  understands  his  business. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  treatment  above 
described  might  do  more  hurt  than  good,  when  the 
constitution  is  below  par.  I  have  often  noticed  at 
the  New- York  Eye  Infirmary,  that  when  patients 
who  have  had  a  scanty  supply  of  food,  and  of  an 
inferior  quality  (which  is  often  the  case  among  those 
who  are  treated  at  that  institution,  which  is  designed 
exclusively  for  the  poor),  are  put  upon  a  generous 
diet,  together  with  tonics,  they  rapidly  improve.  It 
is  a  well  known  fact  that,  in  any  disease,  a  hardy, 
well-fed  farmer  requires  more  active  treatment,  than 
one  whose  sedentary  habits  and  short  allowance  re- 
dace  the  system. 

CHRONIC    DISEASES    OF   THE    EYE. 

Nearly  all  chronic  affections  of  the  eye  will  be 
rather  aggravated  than  improved  by  self-treatment, 
and  indeed  the  less  that  acute  attacks  are  meddled 
with  by  inexperienced  hands,  the  better  for  those 
who  are  not  willing  to  grope  at  noonday. 

Some  few  years  since,  I  found  one  of  my  neighbors 
treating  himself  while  suffering  under  a  violent  at- 
tack of  ophthalmic  inflammation.  Knowing  that  he 
was  not  aware  of  his  danger,  and  that  he  was  totally 


30G  OPHTHALMTA. 


ignorant  of  the  structure  of  the  organ  which  he  was 
treating  and  the  nature  and  tendency  of  the  disease 
that  he  was  combating,  I  remonstrated  against  it. 

"Why,"  said  he,  "do  you  not  think  that  the  reme- 
dies which  I  am  now  using  will  do  me  good?  I 
know  full  well  what  my  doctor  would  do  for  me  if  I 
should  send  for  him." 

It  happened  that  he  was  using,  for  the  time  being, 
very  appropriate  agents,  and  hence  I  was  compelled 
to  acknowledge  that  he  would  very  likely  derive  at 
first  more  or  less  benefit  from  them.  "But,"  said  I, 
*'this  fact  constitutes  your  greatest  danger.  Your 
present  relief  will  flatter  you  to  believe  that  you  can 
treat  your  eye  as  well  as  the  best  oculist,  while 
very  soon  a  change  in  the  treatment  will  become 
indispensable,  and  you  will  neither  know  when  nor 
how  to  do  it."  So  it  turned  out ;  and  to  show  the 
folly,  nay,  madness  of  the  man,  I  would  remark  that 
he  was  already  blind  in  one  eye,  and  he  very  soon 
lost  the  use  of  the  other,  and  has  now  been  some  six 
years  in  total  and  hopeless  darkness.  This  result, 
melancholy  as  it  is,  can  by  no  means  be  called  the 
only  unsuccessful  and  disastrous  case  of  self-treat- 
ment. 

I  have  seen  others  share  about  the  same  fate  by 
being  treated  by  quacks  professing  great  skill,  and 
possessing  greater  ignorance  and  villany. 

I  have,  moreover,  witnessed  much  unsuccessful 
treatment  of  this  important  organ,  in  the  hands  of 
the  regular  physician,  who  ought  to  increase  his 
knowledge  and  improve  his  tact,  or  confess  his  ina- 


OPHTHALMIA.  807 


bility  to  do  justice  to  any  but  those  who  love  dark- 
ness better  than  light. 

Having  had  for  more  than  a  dozen  years,  a  good 
field  for  observation,  I  have  become  perfectly  satis- 
lied  that  the  great  majority  of  physicians  do  not  well 
understand  treating  diseases  of  the  eye  and  ear.  In- 
deed, it  is  generally  admitted  by  the  profession. 

The  general  practitioner  can  hardly  be  expected 
to  so  perfectly  understand  the  healing  art,  as  to  be 
able  to  combat  disease  in  every  form,  as  successfully 
as  if  he  made  a  speciality  of  some  particular  branch, 
and  devoted  his  whole  time  to  it  accordingly.  He 
who  does  this,  other  things  being  equal,  must  often 
succeed  where  others  fail. 

But  let  not  the  reader  suppose  that  I  consider  any 
man  fit  to  embark  in  any  speciality,  fit  to  practise 
the  healing  art  in  any  department  or  branch,  no 
matter  how  much  pains  he  may  take  to  investigate 
any  particular  class  of  diseases,  unless  he  thoroughly 
understands  Anatomy,  Physiology,  Pathology,  &c. 
In  other  words,  unless  he  is  a  regularly  educated 
physician  and  surgeon.  Any  thing  short  of  this 
would  hardly  entitle  him  to  the  appellation  of  "  horse- 
doctor" 

The  numerous  organs  which  make  up  the  human 
body,  are  so  intimately  connected  with,  and  mutually 
dependent  upon,  each  other  for  producing  one  grand 
result,  namely,  the  preservation  of  life,  that  he  who 
attempts  ^p  practice  the  healing  art,  and  does  not 
understand  their  relation,  structure,  function,  &c., 
has  sadly  mistaken  his  calling,  no  matter  how  lim- 


308  OPHTHALMIA. 


ited  the  branch  may  be  to  which  he  devotes  his  at- 
tention. He  is  not  fit  to  be  a  " corn-doctor" 

The  body  has  a  common  source  of  nutrition, 
namely,  the  digestive  organs.  It  has  a  single  centre 
of  circulation,  the  heart.  It  has  moreover,  a  com- 
mon-place of  union  for  sensations  and  volitions,  the 
brain  and  appendages,  and  these  and  various  other 
organs  co-operate  in  health  and  sympathize  in  dis- 
ease. Hence,  in  order  to  have  an  intelligent  knowl- 
edge of  any  part  of  the  system,  we  must  know  the  whole. 
If  I  have  a  patient  who  complains  of  weak  sight, 
it  will  not  be  sufficient  to  say,  use  this  or  that  pop- 
ular nostrum,  without  knowing  whether  the  eye  itself 
is  at  all  diseased,  or  whether  the  difficulty  does  not 
primarily  exist  in  the  digestive  apparatus,  the  organs 
of  circulation,  the  nervous  system,  or  in  all  combined. 

Nevertheless,  although  every  physician,  whether 
in  special  or  general  practice,  should  have  a  good 
knowledge  of  the  system,  and  of  every  form  of  disease 
which  may  require  his  aid ;  yet,  as  I  have  already 
said,  the  man  who  is  thus  prepared,  and  who  devotes 
his  time  and  energies  to  the  treatment  of  particular 
organs,  will  be  more  sure  of  success,  than  if  he  divided 
his  time  and  skill  between  the  consumptive,  dyspep- 
tic, neuralgic,  rheumatic,  arthritic,  melancholic,  lu- 
natic, &c.  This  I  think  the  reader,  after  a  little  re- 
flection, will  be  ready  to  admit.  It  is  this  which  has 
induced  me  to  undertake  to  relieve  my  fellow-men 
whose  eyes  are.  dim,  and  whose  ears  are  dull,  instead 
of  trying  to  relieve  every  form  of  physical  infirmity. 

But  it  will  not  be  understood  that  I  pretend  to  do 
that  which  no  other  physician  can  do.  O  no.  Others 


OPHTHALMIA.  309 


may,  and  doubtless  do  still  more  than  I.  My  object 
is  to  relieve  the  suffering,  and  they  aim  at  the  same 
thing.  They  have  their  way  of  doing  it,  and  I  have 
mine.  They  claim  the  privilege  of  taking  just  such 
a  course  in  the  treatment  of  disease  as  they  think 
proper.  J  claini  no  more.  They  can,  if  they  please, 
pledge  themselves  to  this  fraternity  or  that — to  this 
school  or  that — to  this  clique  or  that.  I  pledge  my- 
self  to  none. 

Now,  whether  my  system  of  practice,  which  is 
both  old  and  new,  is  better  than  that  adopted  by  my 
brother  practitioner,  it  will  not  become  me  to  say. 
And  whether  it  is  more  successful  I  leave  others  to 
judge.  To  succeed  however,  if  possible,  where  others 
fail,  is  my  aim,  and  if  Providence  gives  relief  to  the 
sufferer  through  so  feeble  an  instrumentality,  none 
need  complain,  though  perhaps  some  will. 

But  the  afflicted  one  may  be  ready  to  say,  never 
mind  the  doctors,  "  two  of  a  trade  can  never  agree." 
Tell  me  whether  there  is  any  hope  for  me  according 
to  your  system  of  practice  ?  That's  what  I  want  to 
know.  I  don't  care  whether  you  belong  to  this 
school  or  that — whether  you  subscribe  to  one  medi- 
cal creed  or  another — whether  you  are  a  native  of 
the  old  world  or  the  new — or  whether  you  drive  one 
horse  or  two.  I  simply  want  to  know  whether  you 
can  verify  in  my  case  the  truth  and  beauty  of  the 
wise  man's  saying,  namely,  that  '*  it  is  pleasant  for 
the  eyes  to  behold  the  sun."  This  question  is  an  all- 
important  one  to  me  ;  and  upon  its  issue  hangs  much 
of  my  future  comfort  and  prosperity  in  the  world. 
Many  a  long  month  and  year  have  I  sought  in  vain 


310  OPHTHALMIA. 


for  such  pleasure.  I  have  applied  to  this  man  and 
that  for  relief.  I  have  wandered  up  and  down  seek- 
ing aid,  asking  questions,  waiting  answers,  trying 
drugs,  nursing  faith,  grasping  straws,  hoping,  moping, 
groping,  all  to  no  purpose.  When  I  hear  the  sweet 
voice  of  an  approaching  friend,  I  instinctively  strain 
open  my  eyes  all  the  wider,  as  though  I  must  see 
that  long-loved  face,  and  still  see  nothing  but  dark- 
ness. Enough  of  that !  Yes,  there  has  been  for  rne 
a  longer,  darker,  gloomier  night  than  the  Greenland- 
ers  are  wont  to  witness.  Will  the  morning  come? 

Perhaps  not.  And  yet  it  may.  Past  and  present 
circumstances  will  modify  future  prospects.  If  thou 
hast  lost  thy  vision  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  to  thee 
as  dark  at  mid-day  as  at  midnight,  the  probability  is 
that  human  instrumentality  and  earthly  remedies 
will  fail  to  give  thee  sight. 

But  you  may  ask,  can  I  regain  my  sight,  with  the 
faculty  of  recognizing  a  glimmer  of  light  ?  Even 
with  such  a  favorable  symptom,  this  question  can  by 
no  means  be  answered  in  the  affirmative  with  the 
same  certainty  that  it  could  in  the  negative  without 
it.  There  may  be  much  to  encourage  you,  and  there 
may  be  nothing.  It  will  depend  upon  circumstances 
which  I  cannot  now  point  out.  Many  who  were  thus 
afflicted  have  been  restored  ;  while  others  might  be, 
who  are  now  a  burden  to  themselves  and  their 
friends. 

But  to  those  whose  sight  is  impaired,  though  per- 
haps not  sufficiently  to  excite  their  fears,  I  can  give 
a  hint  of  more  value  than  the  last. 


OPHTHALMIA.  31 1 


AMAUROSIS. 

It  is  generally  known  that  Amaurosis  is  one  of  the 
most  formidable  and  fatal  diseases  of  the  eye.  In 
the  early  stage  of  this  affection,  there  is  frequently 
not  only  no  pain,  but  nothing  to  excite  the  fears  of 
those  whose  vision  is  in  peril.  The  first  thing  per- 
haps that  the  patient  notices,  is  impaired  sight,  and 
it  is  usually  called  weakness  of  the  eyes.  Vision  may 
be  more  imperfect  at  certain  hours  in  the"  day  or 
night,  than  at  other  times. 

Another  very  common  symptom,  is  what  is  gen- 
erally called,  "floating  motes'1  before  the  eyes.  These 
often  become  so  numerous  as  to  be  very  annoying. 
They  assume  every  imaginable  variety  of  shape,  and 
vary  more  or  less  in  color. 

But  lest  the  reader  should  be  unnecessarily  alarmed, 
I  would  remark  that  these  unwelcome  dancers  not 
unfrequently  intrude  themselves  upon  those  who 
would  have  little  to  fear  in  this  respect,  if  they  would 
only  bid  good-bye  to  their  dyspepsia. 

Another  symptom,  and  one  more  alarming,  is 
bright  flashes.  Sometimes  instead  of  seeing  two  ob- 
jects for  one,  only  the  half  of  each  is  visible,  the 
upper  or  the  lower,  the  right  or  the  left.  Although 
this  affection  usually  comes  on  more  gradually,  yet 
individuals  have  retired  at  night  without  the  least 
suspicion  of  danger  or  of  any  tendency  to  the  disease, 
who  have  found  themselves  totally  blind  the  next 
morning. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this,  and  every 

other  disease  of  the  eye,  can  be  much  more  success- 
14 


312  OPHTHALMIA. 


fully  treated  during  the  incipient  stage,  than  after  it 
has  assumed  a  chronic  form.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  disease  in  any  part  of  the  system.  Whenever 
the  eye  becomes  unusually  fatigued  by  ordinary  use, 
and  the  sight  begins  to  fail,  so  that  objects  become 
less  distinct,  or  if  small,  hardly  visible,  it  is  high 
time  that  something  was  done,  and  the  right  thing 
too. 

Amaurotic  persons,  or  those  who  are  predisposed, 
should  be  very  cautious  how  they  aggravate  the  dif- 
ficulty, or  develop  the  disease  by  their  imprudence. 
By  imprudence  I  mean  improper  habits,  such  as  a 
prolonged  use  of  the  organ  in  looking  at  small  ob- 
jects, and  if  by  artificial  light  so  much  the  worse  ;  and 
by  all  means  let  them  avoid  self-treatment  and  shun 
quacks. 

There  are  no  diseased  organs  of  the  human  body 
which  are  treated  by  the  skilful  physician  with  more 
satisfaction  than  those  now  under  consideration. 
The  joy  of  restoring  the  blind  to  sight  is  almost  un- 
speakable. It  seems  to  be  the  next  thing  to  raising 
the  dead  to  life.  True,  it  is  no  small  comfort  to 
every  philanthropic  mind  to  be  able  to  combat  any 
form  of  disease  successfully.  But  in  many  cases  the 
medical  attendant  can  hardly  tell  after  all,  whether 
the  patient  would  not  get  well  as  soon  without  his 
aid  as  with  it,  if  not  sooner. 

But  when  a  man  has  had  no  useful  vision  for  five, 
ten,  twenty,  thirty  years,  and  not  the  slightest  im- 
provement, but  rather  the  reverse,  and  the  physician 
is  so  happy  as  to  introduce  him  to  the  beauties  of 
creation — to  restore  him  once  more  to  usefulness,  and 


SPECTACLES.  313 

his  accustomed  walks  in  life,  through  the  blessing  of 
Divine  Providence ;  not  only  will  it  be  impossible 
for  the  favored  one  to  fail  to  rejoice  and  extol  the 
skill  which  has  been  thus  made  available,  but  the 
medical  adviser  will  also  share  largely  in  the  satis- 
faction which  is  of  no  ordinary  character.  The  joy 
however  of  those  who  are  thus  fortunately  restored, 
can  hardly  be  appreciated  by  the  inexperienced, 
though  every  one  will  admit  the  reality. 

Some  years  since  I  knew  a  man  who  had  the  good 
fortune  to  have  his  sight  restored  after  having  been 
eighteen  years  in  midnight  darkness  ;  and  the  ex- 
quisite delight  which  he  experienced  as  the  light  of 
day  was  once  more  thrown  upon  the  retina,  made 
him  almost  a  child.  The  first  word  that  he  uttered, 
as  his  companion  presented  herself  was,  "  Why,  my 
dear,  your  nose  is  as  long  as  it  ever  was" 

Now  I  suppose  the  man's  joy  was  not  so  great  that 
the  important  organ  had  not  been  seriously  reduced 
in  bulk,  as  that  he  was  once  more  enabled  to  behold 
that  much  loved,  long  loved  face  which  the  dark 
night  of  eighteen  years  had  not  obliterated  from  the 
eye  of  the  mind. 

Perhaps  I  ought  to  give  the  reader  a  hint  in  rela- 
tion to  the  use  of  spectacles,  and  a  few  rules  to  be 
observed  in  selecting  them,  which  is  a  matter  of  no 
trifling  importance.  The  eye  is  often  injured  by  re- 
sorting to  the  use  of  glasses  either  too  early  or  too 
late.  The  cases  of  the  former  are  usually  found 
among  that  class  who  are  called  near-sighted  (my- 
opic). The  latter,  or  those  who  too  tardily  resort  to 
these  helps,  are  the  far-sighted  (presbyopic),  which 


314  "      SPECTACLES. 


condition  is  the  most  common,  and  strongly  marked 
among  old  people,  and  usually  commences  about  the 
age  of  forty. 

Now  those  of  all  others  who  should  abstain  from 
an  early  use  of  glasses,  are  children  and  young  per- 
sons, though  inclined  to  be  short-sighted.  They 
should  accustom  themselves  to  go  about  without 
glasses,  and  also  hold  every  thing  as  far  from  the 
eye  as  they  possibly  can  with  distinct  vision.  In 
this  way  they  can  do  much  to  prevent  in  future  the 
necessity  of  resorting  to  the  use  of  spectacles. 

But  if  they  accustom  themselves  to  the  use  of 
glasses  which  are  designed  for  the  myopic,  instead 
of  improving,  they  will  become  confirmed  myopes,  if 
they  were  not  before,  and  very  likely  otherwise  in- 
jure their  eyes.  Parents  and  teachers  should  look 
well  to  their  children  who  are  in  the  habit  of  reading 
with  their  faces  close  to  their  books,  as  though  lis- 
tening to  some  whispering  author,  or  were  governed 
by  some  other  sense  than  sight.  Keep  them  as  far 
off  as  distinct  vision  will  admit.  Let  them  also  look 
well  to  their  writing  exercises,  lest  they  cross  their 
T's  and  dot  their  I's  with  their  noses.  But  if  glasses 
must  be  resorted  to,  begin  with  those  of  as  feeble 
powers  as  will  possibly  answer. 

On  the  other  hand,  many  commit  an  error  in  sup- 
posing that  they  ought  to  abstain  from  the  use  of 
these  valuable  helps,  even  after  nature  has  given 
them  hint  after  hint,  or  called  upon  them  day  after 
day  for  assistance.  The  waning  powers  of  the  sys- 
tem at  this  period  of  life,  very  materially  modify  the 
demand  for  artificial  aid,  and  in  more  respects  than 


SPECTACLES.  315 


one.     It  would  be  folly  for  an  old  man  to  throw  away 
his  cane  because  his  son  had  little  need  of  it. 

Whenever  a  person  whose  eyes  are  sound  discov- 
ers, by  looking  at  small  print,  that  the  faculty  of 
sight  is  becoming  slightly  impaired,  the  time  has 
come  for  using  a  substitute  for  younger  eyes.  Now, 
reader,  if  this  is  in  truth  your  condition,  take  a  hint, 
though  you  may  have  hitherto  passed  for  about 
thirty,  and  would  not  for  as  many  crowns  be  consid- 
ered/or^ years  old  !  Never  mind,  most  of  people  I 
suppose  will  consider  you  younger  while  able  to  read 
fluently  with  glasses,  than  after  you  are  unable  to 
read  at  all. 

And  besides,  you  can  tell  them  that  your  glasses, 
if  not  your  eyes  are  very  young,  which  by-the-by, 
is  coming  right  to  the  point  which  I  have  been  try- 
ing so  long  to  reach.  Yes,  this  is  one  of  the  most 
important  hints  which  remains  for  me  to  give.  It  is 
no  small  mistake  to  put  old  spectacles  upon  young 
eyes. 

If  glasses  are  resorted  to  as  soon  as  they  should 
be,  those  of  almost  the  least  power  will  answer,  and 
probably  suffice  for  several  years.  Such  ones  should 
be  selected  as  will  simply  correct  the  excess  of  the 
compass  of  vision.  In  other  words,  such  as  will 
enable  you  to  see  clearly  at  a  proper  distance,  aud 
yet  not  magnify.  "Any  glass  which  magnifies,"  says 
a  writer  who  is.  good  authority,  "  is  a  little  too  strong, 
and  cannot  fail  soon  to  enfeeble  the  sight." 

Having  selected  your  glasses  as  above  directed, 
change  them  as  seldom  as  possible  for  others  of  more 
power,  and  use  them  only  for  a  short  range  of  vision. 


316  SPECTACLES. 


The  whole  tendency  of  "  eye  glasses"  for  seeing  re- 
mote objects  is  bad.  Some  cannot  use  them  without 
almost  immediate  injury.  True,  some  are  so  short- 
sighted that  they  cannot  comfortably  and  safely  walk 
the  street  without  the  aid  of  these  optical  instru- 
ments, but  they  need  a  very  different  glass  from  those 
required  by  the  far-sighted,  and  should  also  select 
those  of  as  feeble  power  as  will  possibly  answer,  and 
use  them  as  little  as  circumstances  will  permit,  if 
they  wish  to  ever  improve,  and  they  should  by  all 
means  accustom  themselves  to  look  at  large  objects 
at  as  great  a  distance  as  the  naked  eye  can  distin- 
guish them. 

Before  dismissing  this  part  of  our  subject,  I  must 
give  a  hint  which  is  not  only  practical  but  applica- 
ble to  all,  no  matter  how  perfect  their  vision.  Let 
the  reader  mark  it  down  on  a  conspicuous  spot  in  his 
memory  ;  or,  what  is  still  better,  let  him  begin  at 
once,  while  reading  the  book,  to  reduce  it  to  practice. 
True,  it  will  not  be  money  in  the  oculist's  pocket 
for  you  to  do  so.  But  never  mind  that.  It  will  be 
good  eyes  to  guide  you  a  few  years  hence,  which 
will  be  far  better. 

The  caution  that  I  would  give,  is  this :  never  keep 
the  eye  fixed  a  long  time  upon  any  near  object.  In 
reading,  writing,  drawing,  engraving,  sewing,  and 
every  occupation  that  requires  the  eye  to  adapt  itself 
to  short  sight,  let  there  be  frequent  interruptions. 
That  is,  let  the  eye  be  turned  to  more  distant  objects, 
if  it  be  but  half  a  minute,  as  for  example  to  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  room,  or,  what  is  better,  to  the  land- 
scape, or  something  still  more  remote.  By  thus 


SPECTACLES.  317 


alternately  increasing  and  diminishing  the  range  of 
vision,  the  faculty  of  accommodation  and  the  natural 
focus  will  remain  unimpaired  ;  while  the  eye  will 
escape  that  feeling  offftiigue,  which  every  one  must 
have  frequently  noticed  when  close  application  to 
study  has  been  long  protracted,  and  the  sight  will 
remain  in  a  strong  and  vigorous  condition. 

This  remarkable  faculty  of  accommodation,  which 
the  eye  possesses,  is  very  wonderful,  and  far  tran- 
scends all  the  mechanism  of  art ;  and  not  only  won- 
derful in  man,  but  in  some  respects  still  more  strik- 
ingly remarkable  in  the  brute.  Few  fully  realize 
the  importance  of  this  faculty,  and  fewer  still  proba- 
bly consider  that  they  are  liable  to  seriously  abridge 
this  indispensable  function,  without  even  knowing  it, 
or  even  supposing  that  anybody  has  anything  to  do 
with  it  but  the  oculist. 

Now,  some  people  seem  to  use  their  eyes  as  though 
they  thought  they  were  hardly  of  sufficient  import- 
ance to  warrant  any  painstaking  in  preserving 
them — as  though  they  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  open 
them  in  the  morning,  and  shut  them  at  night.  True, 
rest,  is  quite  as  important  for  the  eye  as  for  any  other 
part  of  the  body  ;  and  exercise  is  also  as  indispensa- 
ble as  rest.  But  this  is  not  all.  It  is  not  only  neces- 
sary to  use  the  organ  daily,  when  in  a  normal  condi- 
tion, in  order  to  keep  it  in  a  state  of  integrity,  but  to 
use  it  in  the  manner  which  will  secure  the  least  in- 
jury, and  the  discharge  of  its  natural  functions  for 
the  greatest  length  of  time.  This  will  be  accom- 
plished to  a  much  greater  extent  by  attending  to  the 


318  iPECTACLES. 


rule  already  given,  than  perhaps  some  may  be  dis- 
posed to  believe. 

But  the  question  may  be  asked,  Will  it  not  be  more 
beneficial  to  close  the  eye  after  reading  or  writing 
for  a  given  time,  than  to  extend  the  range  of  vision? 
I  answer,  no.  True,  the  eye  will  be  mainly  passive, 
and  therefore  at  rest.  But  it  will  not  be  in  a  condition 
to  accomplish  the  object  at  which  we  are  aiming. 

Suppose  you  hold  a  book  before  your  eyes,  or  any- 
thing which  requires  careful  attention,  until  it  is  time 
for  an  interval  of  rest,  and  then  close  them  for  a  mo- 
ment to  open  them  upon  the  same  object  at  the  same 
distance,  and  continue  this  course  day  after  day, 
without  changing  the  range  of  vision  ;  can  you  not 
see  that  although  you  would  give  the  organ  rest,  you 
\vould  nevertheless  give  it  no  opportunity  for  any 
modification  of  a  range  of  sight,  but  force  it  to  ac- 
commodate itself  to  a  fixed,  and  very  limited,  and 
quite  unsafe  field  of  vision,  to  which  extreme  the 
beautiful  organ  should  not  be  subjected.  I  presume 
that  I  am  now  understood,  and  I  hope  my  remarks 
will  also  be  appreciated,  for  the  hint  here  given  is 
but  the  advice  of  the  ablest  oculist  now  living  :  and 
surely  advice  so  simple,  so  s'afe,  so  salutary,  should 
not  be  slighted. 

A  distinguished  writer  and  practitioner*  says,  that 
he  has  successfully  treated  many  serious  affections 
which  were  brought  on  by -adjusting  the  eye  for  a 
protracted  period  to  a  short  range  of  vision,  and  sim- 
ply by  carrying  out  the  other  extreme ;  that  is,  to 
daily  and  frequently  fix  the  eyes  upon  objects  quite 


• 

•> 

CATARACT. 


remote,  as  naturally  practiced  by  the  hunter,  mari- 
ner, &c. 

While  speaking  of  the  beautiful  organ  of  vision, 
perhaps  I  ought  to  give  parents  another  hint  before 
I  close.  It  every  now  and  then  happens  that  chil- 
dren are  born  blind  with  cataract — with  a  whitish 
opaque  lens  which  sufficiently  obstructs  the  rays  of 
light  to  prevent  all  useful  vision.  Such  children  are 
usually  quite  as  healthy,  and  in  every  other  respect 
as  perfect  as  other  infants. 

Now,  the  great  thing  to  be  remembered — the  prac- 
tical hint  that  I  would  give,  is,  that  although  the  cat- 
aract can  be  removed  without  the  slightest  difficulty, 
at  any  age,  yet  if  too  long  neglected,  its  removal  will 
do  no  manner  of  good.  I  will  give  the  reason. 
When  the  eye  has  never  been  taught  to  fix  itself 
upon  any  object,  and  to  do  which  it  must  have  use- 
ful vision,  the  muscles  which  move  the  ball  acquire 
the  habit  of  so  acting  as  to  give  the  globe  an  un- 
steady, perpetual,  oscillating  motion,  from  side  to 
side,  which  motion,  if  suffered  to  continue  a  few 
years,  becomes  so  confirmed  that  it  is  no  longer  un- 
der the  control  of  the  will,  and  which  will  nearly  or 
quite  prevent  all  useful  vision  for  life,  though  the 
pupil  be  made  as  clear  as  those  which  give  the  most 
perfect  sight. 

If  the  operator  can  have  his  choice,  he  will  proba- 
bly select  a  period  during  the  first  year.  But  we 
hope  for  success  at  the  age  of  five  years  or  later, 
though  by  no  means  as  certain.  I  make  these  re- 
marks, supposing  it  possible  that  this  book  of  hints  will 
fall  into  the  hands  of  some  who  have  a  deep  interest 
14* 


320  CATARACT. 


in  this  matter,  and  yet  know  not  the  advantages 
which  may  be  derived  from  a  timely  operation,  nor 
the  danger  of  delay. 

The  operation  is  very  simple,  and  if  skilfully  per- 
formed, and  taken  in  time,  is  almost  universally  suc- 
cessful. It  gives  little  or  no  pain,  and  is  rarely  at- 
tended with  any  succeeding  unpleasant  consequen- 
ces. I  recently  assisted  in  the  operation  which  was 
performed  upon  a  fine  boy  about  one  year  old,  and 
the  little  fellow  laughed  and  played  until  the  surgeon 
got  ready  to  introduce  the  needle,  and  laughed  the 
first  thing  after  it  was  removed,  which  amused  all 
present  not  a  little.  It  probably  did  not  hurt  him  as 
much  as  it  would  the  reader  to  pull  a  sliver  out  of 
his  finger.  But  I  have  already  exceeded  my  intend- 
ed limits  and  must  close,  after  calling  attention  for  a 
moment  to  another  important  organ  of  sense. 


DEAFNESS. 

A  few  words  on  the  subject  of  deafness  must  con- 
stitute ray  present  remarks  in  relation  to  this  afflic- 
tion. It  is  a  matter  of  dispute  which  is  the  greater 
loss,  the  faculty  of  sight  or  of  hearing.  Formerly,  a 
shadow  of  doubt  on  this  subject  hardly  existed  in  the 
mind  of  the  writer.  Indeed,  with  little  or  no  exami- 
nation of  the  matter,  I  was  almost  ready  to  say  that 
a  man  might  as  well  lose  all  the  other  senses,  as  that 
of  vision. 

But  I  am  now  satisfied,  that,  were  it  not  for  modern 
institutions  where  instruction  is  so  well  adapted  to 
the  deaf  mute,  it  would  be,  in  many  important  re- 
spects, a  greater  calamity  to  be  born  deaf  than 
blind. 

What  could  such  an  one  know  about  the  origin,  or 
destiny  of  man — the  favor  or  frown  of  his  Maker — 
the  loss  of  the  soul  by  sin,  or  its  salvation  through 
the  sufferings  of  a  substitute  ?  Very  little.  Almost 
perfect  isolation  from  all  such,  and  much  other  im- 
portant information  would  be  his  lot,  while  the  blind, 
simply  by  hearing  it  read,  could  enjoy  the  illumina- 
ting influence  of  the  Gospel,  and  rejoice  in  its  rich 
provision,  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  however,  it  is  no  trifling  affliction 
to  be  shut  out  from  the  world  of  sound,  as  all  will 
admit.  It  therefore  stands  those,  in  hand  who  have 
reason  to  fear  such  a  result,  to  use  such  precautions 
as  prudence  and  skill  can  furnish ;  for  let  the  deaf 
though  slightly  affected,  ever  remember  that  the 
chances  for  treating  the  affection  successfully,  are 


322  DKAFNESS. 


far  greater  during  the  early  stage,  than  after  many 
years  have  passed. 

But  this  should  not  prevent  the  use  of  rational 
means  for  recovery  or  improvement,  even  after  much 
time  has  elapsed.  Such  cases,  though  formerly  con- 
sidered hopeless  both  by  the  profession  and  others, 
can  some  of  them  be  relieved,  while  not  a  few  are 
past  help  and  hope. 

What  shall  I  do  then?  perhaps  the  afflicted  one 
may  ask.  How  shall  T  know  whether  there  is  any 
encouragement  for  me  or  not  ? 

Well,  as  you  may  be  situated  where  you  have  no 
skillful  aurist  at  hand  to  give  you  such  advice  as  you 
require,  I  will  give  you  a  hint  which  may  be  of  some 
value  to  you,  even  if  you  are  mending  your  net  on 
the  banks  of  Cape  Cod,  or  roasting  your  venison  on 
the  "  Blue  Ridge  "  of  old  Virginia.  The  hint  is  this ; 
if  you  can  hear  a  watch  tick,  when  placed  firmly 
against  the  temple,  or  between  the  teeth,  you  have 
some  reason  to  take  courage,  though  you  can  hear 
nothing  when  it  is  placed  directly  against  the  ear. 

The  above  mentioned  condition  strongly  favors  the 
conclusion  that  the  internal  portion  of  the  auditory 
apparatus  is  in  a  state  of  integrity,  and  that  certain 
obstructions  prevent  the  vibrations  of  the  air  from 
communicating  sound  to  the  sensorium  through  the 
proper  channel.  These  obstructions  can  sometimes 
be  removed  without  difficulty  or  pain ;  and  if  you 
find  the  state  of  your  hearing  to  be  as  above  men- 
tioned, go  at  once  to  a  skillful  aurist,  and  see  what 
can  be  done.  Recollect  that  I  do  not  say,  come  to 
me,  for  there  are,  or  ought  to  be,  in  almost  every  city, 


DEAFNESS,  823 


those  who  make  this  branch  of  therapeutics  a  spe- 
ciality. True,  they  may  not  relieve  you.  Many 
never  can  be  relieved,  and  you  may  be  among  the 
number.  Still  you  would  not  like  to  be  one  of  those 
who  might  be,  and  yet  are  not. 

But  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  rule  is  not 
infallible.  It  is  an  encouraging  diagnostic  mark, 
though  like  all  other  rules  has  many  exceptions. 
The  counterpart  of  this  sign,  it  is  true,  has  too  few 
exceptions.  That  is,  if  the  watch  cannot  be  heard 
when  placed  as  above  stated,  very  likely  the  afflicted 
one  will  have  to  walk  the  rest  of  his  days  by  sight, 
rather  than  by  sound.  It  would  be  folly  to  run  to 
the  aurist  to  pay  him  for  opening  the  auditory  canal, 
which  would  probably  do  as  much  good  as  for  him 
to  stick  a  wax  ear  upon  the  heel. 

With  these  brief  and  imperfect  hints,  I  must  leave 
the  reader  to  adopt  such  rules,  and  practice  such  pre- 
cepts as  shall  seem  compatible  with  his  present  and 
future  prosperity.  And  if  from  all  the  counsel  given 
in  the  work,  there  shall  be  found  one  well  marked 
case  of  benefit  derived  therefrom,  I  suppose  the  wri- 
ter can  claim  as  much  success  as  usually  falls  to  the 
lot  of  doctors  and  bookmakers  ;  and  perhaps  I  might 
add,  that  an  average  amount  of  wisdom  will  be  ex- 
hibited by  the  reader. 


THE  GUIDE  POST 

Suppose  that  in  travelling  through  a  strange  coun- 
try, in  the  course  of  my  journey  I  happen  to  come  to 
a  place  in  the  wilderness  where  two  ways  meet,  un- 
der such  circumstances  as  to  be  compelled  to  select 
my  path  without  any  positive  knowledge  of  either. 
But  hoping  that  I  have  made  the  right  choice,  I  press 
on  through  difficulties,  and  over  obstacles  until  I  hear 
a  voice  at  a  little  distance  crying,  Stop,  stranger  ! 

Hoping  to  get  some  important  imformation,!  gladly 
halt,  to  ascertain  the  author  and  the  object  of  the 
salutation.  I  soon  discover  an  honest-looking  man  ap- 
proaching, fatigued  and  panting  for  breath,  which  I 
soon  learn  is  the  result  of  a  special  effort  for  my  benefit. 

He  says,  Friend,  you  must  be  much  out  of  your 
way  !  I  presume  you  are  a  stranger  in  the  wilder- 
ness, and  consequently  have  taken  the  wrong  road. 
It  will  be  utterly  impossible  for  you  to  proceed  in  this 
direction  much  farther  ;  and  as  you  probably  inten- 
ded to  go  the  village,  to  do  so,  you  will  be  compelled 
to  return  to  the  road  that  you  left,  ten  miles  back  ! 

Now  this  kind  friend  would  truly  be  entitled  to  my 
warmest  gratitude  for  the  friendly  hint,  but  after  all 
would  not  be  of  half  as  much  service  to  me  as  would, 
at  the  right  point,  a  simple  GUIDE  POST  ! 

Acting  upon  this  principle,  believing  that  I  could 
better  serve  the  traveller  by  erecting  guides,  and 
raising  beacons,  than  by  chasing  those  who  have 
gone  astray,  I  have  ventured  to  give  to  the  public  a 
few  plain  "  Hints,''  hoping  that  they  may  in  some 


CONCLUSION.  325 


measure  serve  *as  "  guide  posts"  to  prevent  perilous 
errors,  and  fatal  mistakes  in  the  journey  of  life. 

CONCLUSION. 

To  conclude  the  important  subject  of  health  and  life, 
I  beg  leave  to  point  the  reader  to  the  "  Balm  in  Gil- 
ead,  and  the  physician  there."  Life  is  uncertain — 
time,  at  the  most,  is  short — the  "  King  of  Terrors"  is 
near  at  hand,  and  the  grave  will  soon  swallow  you 
up.  Your  only  hope  and  safety,  fellow  traveller,  is 
found  in  Him  who  is  both  the  Physician  and  the 
Remedy  for  that  malady  which  kills  beyond  tho 
tomb. 


BOOKS    RECENTLY    PUBLISHED    BY    DERBY    <fc    MILLER. 

The  Odd  Fellows'  Amulet :  or  the  principles  of  Odd 
Fellowship  defined  ;  the  objections  to  the  order  answered  ; 
and  its  advantages  maintained ;  with  an  address  to  the  pub- 
lic, the  ladies,  and  the  order.  By  Rev.  D.  W.  BRISTOL,  P;is- 
tor  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  P.  G.  of  Osco  Lodge,  No.  304, 
at  Auburn,  N.  Y. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bristol,  the  airhor  of  the  above  work,  is  a  popular  clergyman  of  th» 
Methodist  church.  He  appears  <o  have  written  the  work  not  merely  for  Odd  Fellows, 
bin  10  disabuse  the  public  mind,  if  possible,  ol  prejudices  formed  against  the  Order. 
A  spirit  and  design  of  apparent  sincerity  appears  to  pervade  the  entire  work,  and  the 
writer  discusses  his  themes  and  meets  the  objections  urged  against  Odd  Fellows,  with 
a  great'deal  of  candor  and  respect.  No  person,  we  think,  can  read  it,  whatever  may 
have  been  his  prejudices  hitherto,  without  having  those  prejudices  at  least,  conside- 
rably softened,  if  not  wholly  taken  away.  The  style  of  the  writer  is  captivating, 
while  the  arrangement  and  classification  of  his  subjects  adds  interest  to  the  volume. 
We  have  no  hesitancy  in  recommending  the  Amulet  as  a  book  that  may  be  read  by 
the  public. — Ge.nr.see  Evangelist. 

We  have  wiled  away  several  hours  pleasantly  and  profitably  in  its  perusal,  and  can 
recommend  it  as  a  work  deserving  of  a  large  circulation.  The  principles  of  the  Or- 
der are  set  forth  by  its  author,  the  Rev.  D.  W.  Bristol,  a  distinguished  Methodise 
clergyman,  in  a  masterly  manner,  objections  instituted  by  many  to  the  Order,  are 
fairly  tested,  and  answered  in  a  mild  and  satisfactory  way.  It  is  a  cheap  and  useful 
work,  and  we  cheerfully  recommend  it  to  public  favor.— Mirror  of  the  Times. 

Able  and  exceedingly  interesting  articles,  that  we  would  most  cordially  commend 
to  the  attention  of  every  reader,  while  we  are  gratified  at  being  able  to  bring  them 
under  the  notice  of  members  of  the  great  Order.  The  work  contains  also  Addresses 
by  Rev.  I).  W.  Bristol,  and  is  embellished  with  several  fine  Steel  Engravings.  Fully 
and  correctly  defining  the  principles  of  O.  F.,  it  should  fill  a  niche  in  the  library  of 
every  Odd  Fellow,  where  it  will  furnish  a  mine  of  valuable  matter  whence  he  can 
draw  at  all  times  for  the  facts  illustrative  of  the  great  principles  of  the  noble  institu- 
tion of  Odd  Fellowship.— Golden  Rule. 

It  is  an  excellent  work,  and  worthy  of  the  patronage  of  the  Order.  The  objections 
often  urged  against  our  institution,  are  most  thoroughly  examined,  and  ably  answer- 
ed. The  book  is  got  up  in  good  style,  and  is  offered  at  a  low  price.— The  Ark. 

We  should  think  that  every  lover  of  the  Order  which  this  book  upholds  would 
adorn  his  library  with  it ;  and  every  person  that  is  opposed  to  it  should  also  have 
one  so  that  they  could  see  their  objections  answered.  We  would  say  to  every  lover 
of  the  poor  and  afflicted,  buy  one  and  peruse  it  for  yourselves  and  see  what  the  Odd 
Fellows  do  for  them.  Its  motto  is  "  Do  unto  others  as  ye  would  have  others  do  unto 
you." — The  Bee. 

This  is  a  clear,  forcible,  and  well  written  exposition  of  the  subjects  above  named, 
and  a  book  thai  every  Odd  Fellow  in  the  country  should  be  in  possession  of.  The 
work  is  well  got  up,  and  embellished  with  several  fine  engravings  appropriate  to  the 
•ubject  of  which  it  treats.  It  is  sold  at  the  low  price  of  one  dollar,  and  can  ba  mailed 
to  any  j>ari  of  tht  United  Stau».— Banner  qf  the  Unton. 


BOOKS    RECENTLY   PUBLISHED    BY   DERBY   A    MILLER. 

What  I  Saw  in  London:   or,   Men  and   Things    in  the 
Eng'  v>polis.     By  D.  W.   BAB.TLETT.      Auburn: 

DERBY  &  MILLER. 

This  volume  displays  nuthireof  the  pride  of  authorship,  but  it  ha*  a  freshness 
and  animctinn  in  its  narrative  that  are  quite  attractive,  and  coming  from  one  of  the 
, '.era  who  has  ever  braved  the  perils  of  the  press,  it  has  an  air  of  indi- 
viduality that  cnnuot  fail  to  prepossess  the  reader  in  its  favor.    The  author  enjoyed 
good  opportunities  for  observation,  and  has  turned  them  to  excellent  account.  *  *  * 
•  -w  of  his  rapid  portraitures,  which  have  the  rare  merit  of  being  un- 
affected and  free  from  exaggeration.    The  volume  contains  numerous  easy,  unpre- 
tendiug  sketches  of  a  similar  character,  with  a  frequent  vein  of  shrewd  remark  on 
manners  and  society  in  England.    We  often  meet  with  a  more  pretentious  traveller 
— but  seldom  Kith  a  more  agreeable  one. — JV*.  Y.  Tribune. 

The  author  is  a  young  man,  yet  he  has  produced  in  the  volume  before  us  a  more 
readable  and  valuable  work  than  nine  tenths  of  the  books  of  travel  which  are  con- 
stantly pouring  from  the  press.  *  *  *  A  feature  of  this  volume  that  will  interest 
many  readers  is  his  group  of  "  Sketches  of  Public  Men."  These  include  Tennyson, 
Dickens,  Carlyle,  Macaulay,  and  others.— Hartford  Time*. 

The  book  is  racy  and  spirited.  Its  descriptions  are  graphic,  and  it  will  be  read 
through  with  unflagging  interest.  The  author  has  been  the  able  foreign  correspon- 
dent of  several  journals ;  he  gave  the  best  description  of  the  Crystal  Palace,  we 
think,  of  any  we  saw.— Boston  Olive  Branch. 

An  air  of  originality  and  freshness  pervades  every  page.  On  the  whole,  we  think 
tt  will  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  entertaining  books  of  the  season.— A*.  E. 

!!••  deals  with  mea  and  things,  and  the  traits  of  English  every-day  life,  kindly  and 
...t'.y,  and   he  baa   made  a  neat  volume  of  excellent  reading.— National 
Ere. 

All  the  lions  in  London,  literary,  artistic,  political,  military,  naval,  and  clerical, 
are  vividly  sketched.  \Ve  have  derived  a  great  deal  of  information  and  pleasure 
from  a  peru-al  of  this  good  book.— Philadelphia  City  Item. 

r  has  written  a  book  which  is  the  fruit  of  Ion?  residence  amonsr,  and 

ch  gives  a  value  to 

his  v  -a>vmfg  of  trace/*  cam  pretend  to,  and  which  causes  us  to  strongly 

recommend  it  to  all  others. — Carpet  Bag. 

This  lively,  gossipping  volume  is  a  welcome  addition  to  the  literature  of  the  day. 
-.V.  r.  Organ. 


BOOKS  RECENTLY  PUBLISHED  BT  DERBY  *  M1LLK*. 

Memoir  of  Adoniram  Judson :  being  a  Sketch  of  his 
Life  and  Missionary  Labors.  By  J.  Clement,  author  of 
"  Noble  Deeds  of  American  Women." 

This  is  a  valuable  memoir  of  one  of  the  noblest  men  that  ever  lived.  Few  lives  pre- 
sent  greater  moral  heroism  than  the  life  of  Dr.  Judson.  He  was  the  founder  of  East 
India  Missions,  so  far  as  the  Baptist  Church  of  this  country  is  concerned.  Mr.  Clem- 
ent has  executed  his  task  with  decided  ability.  The  narrative  is  at  all  times  clear 
and  well  sustained,  and  occasionally  is  very  affecting.  The  first  half  of  the  twentieth 
Chapter  cannot  be  read  without  deep  emotion.  The  work  is  beautifully  printed,  aud 
merits  an  extensive  sale.  —  Christian  Advocate,  (Methodist.) 

The  biography  of  a  noble  missionary  hero,  who  lived  long,  and  worked  faithfully  t« 
the  last,  in  behalf  of  the  heathen.  The  record  of  his  toils  and  sufferings,  his  faith 
and  hope,  his  trials  and  his  successes,  can  not  fail  to  awaken  or  deepen  a  genuine 
missionary  spirit  in  Christian  hearts.  To  such  as  have  only  heard,  in  general,  of  Dr. 
Judson,  this  volume  will  give  the  interesting  particulars  of  his  life;  and  in  the 
minds  of  those  who  knew  him,  it  will  awaken  many  favorable  recoil ections.— Zum't 
(Baptist)  Herald. 

It  cannot  fail  to  interest  all  who  admire  lofty  moral  heroism,  and  we  presume  will 
awaken  in  the  bosom  of  every  reader  a  desire  to  know  more  of  this  good  man. — Chrit 
tian  (Baptist)  Secretary. 

Much  labor  and  research  have  been  bestowed  in  the  collection  and  arrangement  of 
the  materials  ;  and  the  record  of  his  trials  and  sufferings,  his  toils  and  labors,  through- 
out a  long  and  arduous  life,  from  his  pen,  and  other  sources  of  information,  could  not 
fail  to  make  an  interesting  and  profitable  work.  —  Religious  (Baptist)  Herald. 

The  biography  before  us,  written  by  a  gentleman  of  this  city,  well  known  for  hu 
correct  poetic  taste,  and  for  his  numerous  contributions  to  the  rhythmical  literature 
of  our  country,  consists,  in  part,  of  the  diary  of  Mr.  Judson,  and  is,  in  part,  derived 
from  his  various  published  writings.  As  a  record  of  suffering,  devotion,  and  strong 
purpose,  we  have  rarely  read  anything  of  more  stirring  interest.  —  Buffalo  Courier. 
(Secular.) 

Mr.  Clement's  work  clearly  and  unobtrusively  sketches  the  history  of  Dr.  Judson'a 
missionary  career,  and  supplies,  to  the  ordinary  reader,  a  connected  view  of  his  labors, 
which  could  not  elsewhere  be  found.  It  is  written  with  simplicity,  and  a  proper  ad- 
miration of  Dr.  Judson's  character ;  and  presents  a  great  variety  of  interesting  docu- 
ments and  letters  that  ought  not  to  be  forgotten.  It  is  a  very  animated  and  impres- 
sive work,  and  will  tend  not  only  to  prepare  the  reader  for  an  appreciation  of  a  more 
complete  biography,  but  give  a  new  and  admiring  confidence  in  the  cause  of  missions, 
and  the  power  of  divine  grace.  —  New  York  Evangelist,  (Presbyterian.) 

Our  esteemed  correspondent  we  are  glad  to  welcome  as  an  author.  He  has  her' 
given  us  a  book  of  good  size,  in  a  beautiful  dress,  and  with  a  fine  engraving  of  Dr 
Judson.  It  designs  to  sketch  his  life  and  labors,  and  thereby  developc  the  charactei 
of  this  noble  man.  Nearly  one  half  of  its  pages  are  occupied  with  extracts  from  hi* 
own  writings.  In  connection  with  these,  we  have  a  succinct  and  graphic  history  of 
the  Burman  Mission,  which  will  be  here  reviewed  with  deep  interest  by  the  reader.— 
Christian  Chronicle,  (Baptist.) 

This  is  a  handsomely  printed  volume,  and  one  of  the  most  interesting  memoirs  w« 
have  ever  perused.  The  Missionary  Judson  waa  one  of  the  brightest  exemplars  of 
moral  heroism  on  that  self-denying  field  ef  labor,  and  his  journal  and  letters,  which 
furnish  the  materials  for  a  large  portion  of  this  volume,  record  a  history  of  great  in- 
terest to  every  friend  of  Christian  Missions,  —  Rural  Neu  Yorker,  (Secular.} 


WORK9    PUBLISHED    BT   JKRBT    A    MILLER. 

THE  LIVES  OF  ANN  H.  AND  SARAH  B.  JUDSON, 

WITH  A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  or  EMILY  C.  JUDSOX,  MISSIONARIES 
TO  BURMAH.  In  Three  Parts.  BY  ARABELLA  W.  STUART.  Auburn : 
DERBY  &  MILLER. 

"  The  records  of  modern  Christian  heroism  contain  no  brighter 
name  than  that  of  Ann  Hasseltine  Judson,  the  first  wife  of  the  first 
American  Baptist  missionary  to  the  heathen.  In  the  domestic  virtues 
— in  Christian  courage — in  self-sacrificing  fidelity  to  the  cause  of  truth 
— and  in  meekness  amid  trials  which  would  crush  an  ordinary  heart, 
•he  has  had  no  superior  in  any  age ;  and  her  character  cannot  be 
presented  too  often,  or  too  much  contemplated.  We  have  here  a  nar- 
rative of  her  life  without  the  full  history  of  the  mission  with  which 
•he  was  connected.  The  second  wife  of  Adoniram  Judson,  like  the 
fir-t.  was  a  woman  of  more  than  ordinary  talents;  an  enthusiastic 
lover  of  missionary  work  and  meriting,  in  its  highest  sense  the  appel- 
lation of  Christian  heroine.  In  sketching  her  life,  Miss  Stuart  has 
been  aided  by  fresh  material  derived  from  private  sources,  and  has 
written  the  most  appropriate  memoir  of  Sarah  Boardman  Judson  ex- 
tant. The  sketch  of  the  third  and  living  wife  of  Mr.  Judson  is.  prop- 
erly, very  brief.  It  is  written  with  a  high  appreciation  of  her  genius, 
»nd  contains  several  of  her  poems,  which  exhibit  that  genius.  The 
volume  will  be  a  choice  work  in  thousands  of  Christian  families." — 
Western  Litcranj  Journal. 

"  The  friends  of  missions  have  long  known  these  three  women,  aa 
the  co-workers  with  that  great  leader  of  missionary  enterprises,  Dr. 
Judson.  It  will  be  then  not  only  profitable  but  highly  interesting  for 
them  to  find  recounted  here  their  deeds  of  piety  and  labors  of  love. 
The  last  of  the  three,  who  is  now  on  a  visit  to  her  home  in  New  York, 
has  been  known  very  widely  among  the  lovers  of  literature  in  this 
country.  No  name  has  been  more  popular  among  female  writers  of 
this  country  than  '  Fanuy  Forrester.'  " — Burlington  Register. 

"  Our  author  has  made  a  very  agreeable  volume  of  biography,  of 
•elections  from  the  writings.  &c.,  of  those  whose  lives  she  has  sketched. 
It  is  a  most  valuable  book  to  be  read  by  females ;  a  record  of  noble 
deeds,  with  elevating  tendencies  to  all  over  whom  it  is  possible  to 
exercise  influence."— State  Register. 


BOOKS    RECENTLY   PUBLISHED    BY    DERBY    &    MILLER. 

Golden  Steps  to  Respectability,  Usefulness  and 
Happiness  ;    being  a  series  of  Lectures  to  the  youth  of 
both  sexes  on    Character,  Principles,   Associates,  Amuse 
ments,  Religion,  and  Marriage.     By  JOHN  MATHER  AUSTIN 
Derby,  Miller  &  Co.,  Auburn,  1850.     243  pp. 

The  author  of  this  book  is  a  writer  of  superior  attraction,  and  has  here  selected  a 
•ubject  of  deep  interest.  Could  the  youth  of  the  country  be  induced  to  exchange  the 
Buiiiiine,  Lippard,  and  Ingraham  literature  of  the  day,  for  such  reading  as  this,  the 
benefits  to  themselves  arid  society  would  be  incalculable. — Loc/tport  Courier. 

We  honor  the  heart  of  the  writer  of  this  volume  as  well  as  his  head.  He  has  her* 
addressed  an  earnest  and  manly  appeal  to  the  young,  every  page  of  which  proves  hia 
sincerity  and  his  desire  for  their  welfare.  The  subjects  treated  of  in  the  different,  lec- 
tures are  those  indicated  on  the  title  page.  Integrity  and  virtue,  usefulness,  truth 
and  honor,  are  the  "  Golden  Steps"  by  which  the  young  may  ascend  to  respectability, 
usefulness,  and  happiness.  We  trust  the  seed  thus  sown  will  not  be  without  its  fruit, 
and  that  his  readers  will  imbibe  the  spirit  of  the  rnotto  he  has  chosen— 
"  Onward  !  onward  !  toils  despising, 

Upward  !  upward  1  turn  thine  eyes, 
Only  be  content  when  rising, 

Fir  thy  goal  amid  the  skies." 
^Albany  State  Register. 

The  work  of  Mr.  Austin,  written  in  a  pleasing  style,  and  nervous  and  pointed  in  ita 
argumentation,  will  hold  a  prominent  position  among  the  fortunate  endeavors  by 
Mrhich  the  rising  generation  are  to  be  influenced.  The  volume  before  us  is  beautifu. 
in  its  exterior,  and  this,  combined  with  the  aim  of  the  author,  in  which  he  has  admi- 
rably succeeded,  will  give  it  a.wide  range,  and  secure  for  it,  we  hope,  an  invaluable 
influence. — Buffalo  Christian  Advocate. 

A  plain,  familiar,  forcible  exposition  of  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  Youth, 
which  can  hardly  be  read  without  exerting  a  salutary  arid  lasting  influence.  Judging 
from  the  popularity  of  Mr.  Austin's  former  works,  we  predict  for  it  a  wide  circula- 
tion.— New  York  Tribune. 

If  the  precepts  eloquently  and  forcibly  urged  in  these  page?  could  be  brought  hotno 
and  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the  mass  of  youth  in  our  land,  they  would  confor 
lasting  and  incalculable  benefits  upon  the  rising  generation.  We  cordially  commend 
this  work  to  the  attention  of  (he  young  and  all  who  have  charge  of  them. 

The  publishers  have  executed  their  work  admirable,  and  have  brought  out  an  elc- 
gsnt  atid  beautiful  book.  Their  work  will  compare  favorably  with  any  of  the  New 
York  houses. — Troy  i*ost. 

The  following  extract  has  reference  to  the  "  golden  steps"  *f  the  President  (rfti* 
Fin  ted  States,  Miiiard  Filimore :— (See  page  69.) 


BOOKS    RECENTLY    PUBLISHED    BY    DERBY    A    MILLER. 

The  Lives  of  Mary  and  Martha,  mother  and 
wife  of  Washington :  by  Margaret  C.  Conkling, 
with,  a  steel  portrait,  ISmo,  scarlet  cloth. 

MKSS  CONKLIXO,  who  is  a  daugluer  ef  Judge  Coukiing  of  Auburn,  is  favorably 

.  <is  the  author  of  Harper's  translation  of  '•  Florian'a  History  ol"  the  Moors 

o  wrote  -  Isabel,  or  the  Trials  of  the  Heart."    lu  the  preparation 

pretty  little  volume  she  has  done  a  praiseworthy  deed,  and  we  hope  siie  will 

B  Uiu  icvvuiii  biie  iiieriui.     She  has  taught  us  ia  me  work 

"  "  how  divine  a  tiling 
A  woman  may  be  made." 

The  mother  and  wife  of  Washington  were,  in  many  respects,  model  women,  and 
the  daughters  oi  America  will  do  well  to  study  their  character  —  which  is  finely 
di'awu  on  these  pages. —  Liitrary  Mtssenger. 

This  beautifully  primed  and  elegantly  bound  little  work,  reflecting  the  highest 
credit  upon  the  skill  and  task  of  the  publishers,  contains  biographical  skeic! 

.    he  mother,  and  Martha,  the  wile  of  the  Father  of  his  country.     It  is  a  most 

valuable  comribution  to  the  history  of  the  American  people,  embracing  not  only  the 

i'Ubiic  events  of  the  century  during  which  the  subjects  lived,  but  those  pictures 

oi  home  liie,  and  that  exhibition  of  social  manners  and  customs,  which  constitute 

the  most  important  part  of  life,  but  which,  from  the  lact  of  their  apparent  trivially 

and   intangibility,   tne  historian   generally  passes  over.      The  authoress   evidently 

sympathises  earnestly  with  her  subject,  and  feels  that  in   the  exhibition  of  thosa 

;.iiy  virtues  which  characterized  the  heroines  of  her  narrative,  she  makes  the 

oqueni  p'ea  in  favor  of  the  dignity  of  her  sex.     It  is  dedicated  to  Mrs.  WM 

11.  Sri  WARD,  and  contains  a  finely  executed  engraving  of  the  wife  of  Washington, 

y  commend  it  to  the  public,  and  most  especially  our  lady  readers.— 

Syracuse  Jaurnal.  ' 

Tina  acceptable  and  well  written  volume  goes  forth  upon  a  happy  mission, 
"  To  teach  us  how  divine  a  thing 
A  woman  may  be  made," 

by  unfolding  those  charms  of  character  which  belong  to  the  mother  and  wife  of  the 
nero  <>i  the 'Land  of  the  Free;  and  in  the  co'  ipamonship  of  which,  while  they  ilia* 
Hated  the  watchful  tenderness  of  a  mother.,  and  the  confiding  allections  of  a  wife. 
A  a  ihuse  influences  which  made  up  the  moral  sentiments  of  a  man,  whose 
moral  grandeur  will  be  felt  in  all  that  is  future  in  government  or  divine  in 

Rsophy  ;   and  one  whose  name  is  adored  by  all  nations,  as  the  leader  of  man  in 
i  the  progress  of  government,  to  that  perfection  of  human  rights  where  all  enjoy 
.  and  equality.     To  say  that  Miss  Conkling  has  fulfilled  the  task  she  says  a 
partial    friendship    has    assigned  her"   faultlessly,  would    perhaps    be   too 
wired  praise,  for  perfection  is  seldom  attained;   but  it  will  not  be  denied  but 
that  her  biographies  are  traced  in  the  chaste  elegances  that  belong  to  the  finished 
periods  of  a  refined  style,  which  fascinates  the  reader  with  what  she  has  thus  contii- 
buied  to  our  national  literature. 

The   design  of  the   volume  is,   to   picture  a  mother  fitting  the  "Father  of  his 
Country  "  in  a  light  full  of  the  inexhaustible  nobleness  of  woman's  nature,  and  yet 
-i  that  subdued  and  quiet  simplicity,  where  Truth  becomes  the  Hope  oa 
i  looks  at  the  future  with  a  smile.    The   mother  of  Washington  was 
in  a  school  of  practice  where  frugal  habits  and  active  industry  were  combined 
\vi:h  the  proverbial  ?xcel!erices  of  those  Virginia  matrons,  who  were  worthy  mothers 
of  such  men  as  Washn.-'f'n,  Jefferson,  Marshall,  and  Henry.     Miss  C.  has  pictured 
with  fidelity  and  elegance,  hef  views  of  this  remarkable  woman;   not  Je.ss   beauti- 
fully he  character  of  Martha,  the  wile;   following  her  from  her 
bnfiiani  manners  ;uj  the  Virginia  belle,  through  the  various  phases  of  her  lilt;,  she 
gives  a  rapid  but  comprehensive  riew  of  those  characteristics  which  make  up  the 
quiet  refinement  of  manners  native  to  her,  and  which  ever  gave  her  the  reputation 
:  accomplished  wife  and  lady.     And  with  peculiar  delicacy  Miss  Conkling  haa 
portravcd  the  thousand  virtues  with  which  she  embellished  a  home ;  her  amiable 
disposition  and  winning  manners  made  ihe  happiest  to  the  purest  and  best  of  aL 
nan  faraa  hat  chosen  for  its  noblest  achievmeute.— ,  Syracuse  Star. 


WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    DERBY    A    MILLER. 


WHAT  I  SAW  IN  NEW   YOKK; 

Or,  A  BIRD'S  EYE  VIEW  OP  CITY  LIFE.    By  JOEL  H.  Koss,  M.D. 
Auburn:  DERBY  &  MILLER. 


"  This  book  contains  the  observations  of  a  very  observing  author, 
who  has  seen  most  of  what  is  to  be  seen  in  New  York,  the  great  em- 
porium of  business,  pleasure,  riches,  poverty,  avarice,  charity  and 
crime.  The  book  contains  a  great  variety  of  useful  information,  and 
is  written  in  a  style  that  cannot  fail  to  please.  We  predict  that  it  will 
have  a  large  sale  throughout  the  country.  We  shall  give  our  readers 
a  few  extracts  from  this  volume  in  our  next  number." — Rutland 
Advertiser. 


"  This  is,  as  it  professes  to  be,  '  A  Bird's  Eye  View  of  City  Life.'  It 
is  a  volume  of  326  pages,  and  when  we  inform  our  readers  that  it  is 
from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Ross,  we  prepare  them  to  expect  a  chaste,  appro- 
priate and  well-written  volume.  It  notices  the  public  institutions, 
benevolent  and  scientific  societies,  &c.,  and  the  work  is  interspersed 
with  sound  and  excellent  remarks  upon  a  variety  of  topics.  When  we 
say  that  it  has  been  published  by  those  enterprising  publishers,  Derby 
and  Miller,  of  Auburn,  we  need  say  no  more  of  the  merits  of  its  typog- 
raphy, binding,  &c." — Mirror  of  the  Times. 


"  This  is  an  excellent  book  for  two  classes  of  persons :  first,  thos* 
who  go  to  New  York,  and  want  a  guide  to  enable  them  to  find  out  the 
lions ;  secondly,  those  who  never  go  thither,  but  would  still  like  to 
take  in  the  great  idea  of  the  largest  American  city,  as  far  as  they  can 
without  the  aid  of  vision.  The  writer  is  evidently  a  person  of  minute 
as  well  as  extensive  observation,  and  has  spared  no  pains  to  render 
his  work  worthy  of  the  public  patronage." — Argus. 


"  This  is  a  volume  of  over  300  pages,  and  embraces  a  great  amount 
of  statistical  and  other  information  relative  to  the  great  metropolis. 
The  author  has  drawn  from  original  sources  in  his  accounts  of  institu- 
tions and  public  charities ;  his  work  cannot  be  without  value."— Albany 
Atlas. 


BOOKS    RECENTLY    PUBLISHED    BY    DERBY    *    MILLER, 

Headley's  Women  of  the  Bible:  Historical  and 
descriptive  sketches  of  the  Women  of  the  Bible,  as  maidens, 
wives,  and  mothers;  from  Eve  of  the  Old,  to  the  Marys  of 
the  New  Testament:  by  Rev.  P.  C.  H°.adiey,  in  one  12mo 
volume,  illustrated — uniform  with  "Headley's  Sacred 
Mountains." 

The  author  of  tins  work  possesses  enough  traits  of  resemblance  to  the  author  w? 
fee  Sacred  Mountain?,  to  leave  no  doubt  ol'his  ngh:  to  ihe  name  of  Headier.  There 
•a  much  of  that  spirited  descriptive  |x>wer,  wfuch  has  made  the  elder  brother  • 
popular  favorite,  and  gives  promise  of  a  successful  career  on  his  owr.  account.  The 
•ketches  are  brief,  and  embody  ail  the  historic  incidents  recorded  of  them. —  A'ei* 
York  Evangelist. 

A  younger  brother  of  J.  T.  Headley  is  the  author  of  this  beautiful  volume.  It  will 
probably  have  a  larger  circulation  than  the  splendid  work  issued  last  fall  by  the 
Messrs.  Appleton,  being  better  adapted  for  the  ireneral  reader,  in  form  and  price, 
while  it  is  ornamental  enough  for  the  centre  table  It  contains  nineteen  descriptive 
biographical  sketches,  arranged  in  chrun<»!ogirai  ^rder,  including  nearly  ail  th« 
distinguished  women  of  the  sacre-J  annals,  and  fo»,»»ina  an  outline  of  Scriptur* 
history.  The  illustrations  are  from  original  designs,  su.-'t  are  numerous  and  appro- 
priate. No  ordinary  powers  of  imagination  and  expression  are  shown  in  the  vivit 
anil  picturesque  descriptions;  and  the  fine  portraitures  of  character  rivet  th» 
interest,  and  set  lorth  the  Scripture  delineation^  in  a  .stronger  light.  In  this  respec. 
the  book  has  no  rival,  fur  no  other  is  ?o  complete,  following  ?o  closely  at  the  same 
time,  the  sacred  narrative.  We  h«pe  it  is  but  an  earnest  of  other  works  from  the 
pen  of  its  gifted  author  —  JTfome  Journal. 

We  were  so  struck  with  the  title  of  this  work,  and  the  prepossessing  appfearanc* 
of  its  typography.  th«u  we  have  so  far  departed  from' the  usual  course  adopted  in 
like  cases,  as  to  read  carefully  the  work  in  hand,  before  recommending  it  to  our 
readers.  And  we  are  prepared  u>  say,  thai  a  more  attractive  volume  has  not  fallen 
In  our  way  fora  long  time.  IT  is  tru-le  upof  brief  historical  and  descriptive  eulogiee 
of  the  must  remarkable  females  of  a  most  extraordinary  era  in  the  world's  history. 
The  author  has  appropriated  very  much  of  the  poetry  and  romance  of  the  Bible,  in 
the  sketches  he  has  given  of  Tiiii':lren  women,  who  have  corne  down  to  us  through 
their  peculiar  merits,  embalmed  isi  sacred  inspiration.  Whoever  reads  the  story  of 
Sarah,  the  beautiful  Hebrew  maiden,  the  admiration  of  the  Chaldean  shepherds  and 
the  }K-ide  of  her  kindred  ;  or  of  Rebecca,  whom  the  "  faithful  steward  of  Abraham  " 
journeyed  to  the  land  ol  Ntthor  and  selected  as  (he  bride  of  Isaac,  and  who,  u  a 
•aid,  "was  rery  fair  to  look  upon ;"  or  of  Rachel,  the  beautiful  shepherdess  who 
tended  her  father's  flocks  in  the  valley  of  Haran  ;  or  of  Merriam,  Deborah,  Jeptha'e 
Dauizh  sr,  Delilah.  Ruth,  Uueen  of  Sheba,  the  Shunamite,  Esther,  Elizabeth,  Vir2i» 
Mary,  Dorcas,  and  others  —  will  read  a  story  far  more  interesting  and  attractive  thai 
any  romance  or  novel.  Every  young  lady  in  town  should  read  this  work  ;  and  we 
will  venture  to  say  that  they  tct"  do  en  if  they  but  once  get  hold  of  it,  for  it  i*  a  boofr 
An  winnot  be  laid  aside.  -  O»c*go  Timm. 


BOOKS    RECENTLY   PUBLISHED    BY   DERBY   A    MILLBH. 


The  Life  of  the  Empress  Josephine,  first 

of  Napoleon.      By  P.  C.  HE  ABLE  Y.     12mo.,   pp.  378. 
Derby,  Miller  &  Co.,  Auburn,  New  York 

There  are  few  of  the  female  characters  of  modern  history  whose  lives  abound  with 
moro  interesting  events  than  that  of  the  Empress  Josephine.  Her  whole  cour.-e  vva 
one  of  romantic,  and  also  of  tragic  interest.  If  the  illustrious  husband  wa<5  eminent 
far  above  all  other  men  of  his  time,  for  vast  intellect  and  prodigious  achievements, 
Josephine  seemed,  in  the  more  lofty  and  majestic  traits  of  character,  to  transcend  ihe 
most  distinguished  of  her  female  cotemporaries.  Like  her  husband,  s\\c  is  a  irreat 
subject  for  biography.  Many  memoirs  have  been  written  of  her,  possessing  more  or 
les*  merit,  but  none  have  been  without  interest.  The  author  of  the  present  book  has, 
we  think,  been  very  successful.  It  is  by  far  the  most  interesting  history  oi  J^wophine 
that  we  have  yet  seen.  He  seems  to  have  had  recourse  to  the  best  sources  ,jr  his 
materials,  which  he  hae  combined  and  put  together  with  skill  and  judgment.  His 
style  is  flowing,  elegant,  and  often  eloquent.  In  short,  it  is  a  book  well  worth  read- 
ing.  It  will  not  fail  to  attract  the  public  attention.  As  to  the  mechanical  execution 
of  the  book,  it  is  but  justice  to  the  proprietors  to  say,  that  it  will  compare  favorably 
with  the  productions  of  the  press  of  any  city  in  the  Union.  It  contains  a  tine  mezzo- 
tint portrait  of  Josephine,  showing  a  beauty  of  person  equalled  only  by  the  moral 
grandeur  of  her  character.  —  Washington  Union. 

It  is  not  without  its  sparkling  perns.  Occasional  flashes  of  thought  make  the  rea- 
der pause  to  contemplate  their  freshness  and  beauty,  and  reveal  a  well-stored  mind 
in  sympathy  with  the  noblest  human  traits,  in  close  communion  with  the  glories  ol 
nature.  Ilia  text,  too,  is  happily  chosen.  Who  lias  not  felt  a  lingering,  peculiar, 
undefmable  interest  in  the  highly  extraordinary  and  tragic  career  of  the  Empress 
Josephine  ?  Would  it,  not  extend  this  notice  too  'far,  we  shauld  like  to  touch  the  more 
prominent  of  the  many  eventful  passages  which  marked  the  history  of  this  remark- 
able child  of  superstition,  to  gaze-  for  a  moment  upon  the  vascillating  star  of  her  des 
tiny,  and  trace  its  luminous  ascent  from  the  veriest  depths  of  agonizing  gloom  and 
despair,  to  the  loftiest  pinacle  of  worldly  splendor  and  rmown,  where  she  grasped 
for  a  moment  the  fleering  phantom  of  happiness,  only  to  sink  again  into  the  arms  of 
misfortune,  and  feel  stiil  more  keenly  the  hitter  pangs  of  adversity.  But  all  this  will 
be  found  in  a  very  readable  form  in  this  interesting  volume,  and  we  cheerfully  com- 
mend it  to  notice.—  Utica  Observer. 

We  do  not  know  of  a  biography  of  this  important  and  interesting  personage,  so 
complete  in  its  historic  details,  and  so  congenial  to  the  spirit  of  her  life,  as  this: 
while  it  has  also  the  advantage  of  a  popular  style,  and  of  that  view  of  Hie  subject 
which  accords  with  the  general  sentiment.  Mr.  Headley  writes  in  a  clear,  well-sus-  • 
tained  arid  engaging  style  —  evidently  entertaining  a  warm  approbation  of  his  subject. 
and  alive  to  the  sublimity  and  purity  of  her  life.  Treating  of  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant epochs  of  French  history,  the  work  is  finely  adapted  to  enlist  the  interest  of  the 
reader,  and  to  supply  a  kind  and  degree  of  information  not  readily  accessible  else- 
whero.  It  cnn  hardlyfail  of  proving  a  highly  popular,  as  it  is  a  highly  creditable 
work.—  AT.  Y.  Evangelist. 

The  writer  of  this  book  is  a  brother  of  J.  T.  Headley,  the  author  of"  Napoleon  and 
his  Marsha's"  —  "  Washington  and  his  Generals,"  <kc.  There  is  a  strong  family  re 
semblance  betw-cen  the  two.  The  qualities  which  have  given  such  a  wide  celebrity 
to  the  one,  seem  to  be  fully  enjoyed  by  the  other.  Both  brothers  are  characterized 
by  that  peculiar  vividness  and,  eo  to  speak,  intensity  of  style  which  always  makes  a 
book  readable,  and  interesting.  The  "  Lile  of  Josephine"  possesses  much  of  this  pe- 
culiar charm.  '  The  author  has  studied  his  subject  well  and  could  hardly  have  chosen 
a.  better  one  to  write  upon.  Josephine  is  a  charmed  name  to  many  hearts.  There 
are  few  who  do  not  feel  an"  interest  in  her  singularly  eventful  career.  At  first  tha 
daughter  of  a  West  India  planter,  —  then  the  wife  of  a  French  nobleman,  —  anon  tha 
ronsort  of  Gen.  Bonaparte  and  afterwards  Empress  of  France  ;  —  her  picture  presents 
us  with  a  scene  of  constantly  increasing  brightness,  where  the  dark  shaues  never 
chase  away  the  light,  till  we  behold  her  ending  a  career  of  dazzling  splendor  as  a  de- 
throned Empress  and  repudiated  wife.  Josephine  was  ic  many  respects  a  model  of* 
u-  Amheret  Express, 


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